The Phoenix
by The Black Sacrament
Summary: When all I know is fire, am I destined for destruction? Will I live to see the world burn and fade out? Will I be the cause of it? AU. Don't own twilight. Femslash!OC Updated summary.
1. Egypt

From what I could tell, my existence had been continuous. Being born ignorant and innocent only to grow into my power. Reincarnation as many call it. I never came to see myself as a God or Goddess. I have lived as a warrior, a soldier, and many other things. I have been denied release from this eternal life. I may not want it in the end.

\--Egypt 1345 B.C.--

I am sitting on my throne silently as I do most days. Life is monotonous but I am secretly thrilled that there is finally civilization. Living in caves had been more boring than imaginable but thank the universe that the life expectancy was quite low in those times.

One of my wives pads toward me seductively. "Would you like assistance, my love," she purrs. I stare at her blankly. Ugh."No, despite your delicious ways I must decline."She gives me a pitiful pout and bows before walking away. My second in command gives me a look. "You never turn down sex from your wives, Asha." I sigh and roll my eyes. "You must know that sex is not everything, Hetap. I lust for you only ," I said chuckling and he rolls his big dark eyes. I loved my second more than any other. He had been by my side for so long. He was like a brother to me.

Suddenly, I can hear loud footsteps outside the city. I knew this sound very well. Apparently, my rein had come to an end. "Tap, there is an army coming to take my throne. Assemble the soldiers." A fierce expression took over his face and he ran out the door. His war horn disrupted the city and every soldier assembled outside my abode. I sat bored still. Not much surprised me anymore. Maybe today I could die and be reborn in a different time. The fight began swiftly. I found anxiety building in my chest as Hashanah had not returned yet. Just as it began he came through the door with other guards to protect me. "You know I am quite capable of destroying these scoundrels singlehandedly," I said exasperatedly. He looked at me with a forlorn expression. "This army is different." Before I could ask what he meant someone blurred through the door and killed all of my guards leaving my brother for last. The person was pale and looked like a beautiful Sekmet. My face hardened.

"Asha, the Great. The Phoenix of Egypt. Io the Destroyer. Enyo, the Warrior Goddess. Kali Ma, Destroyer of Worlds. You have many names." The creature's voice was like silk but I found it trite. How dare this Sanguine come to feast upon my people. "I prefer only Asha, leech. Why have you come," I said standing. He laughed and grabbed my brother by the throat. I snarled."I have come to taste you. Only a a delectable human could acquire such a following." He swiftly snapped my brother's neck before I could respond. I screamed in anguish. My power threatened to take over me as the beast stalked forward. "Give in to me," she whispered in the back of my mind. The beast grabbed me by the neck as she took control. "You are no God," he snarled. "You are nothing but a savory human." I laughed darkly. "Those will be your last words. Your soul is mine." He balked as my power exploded from me like the explosion of a star. Fire exploded from my body uncontrolled and as hot as one thousand suns. I watched in awe as the Vampire screamed and turned to ashes. But no I wasn't done yet.

My brother, my poor brother. I prowled outside and saw carnage. Vampires feeding from my soldiers hungrily. I acted instantly. Materializing in front of them and watching them explode. They had taken from me all that was left of my humanity. I would show them all what a Sekmet really was. As all of them died I screamed so loud and so fiercely that the ground shook below me. They knew not what type of vengeance they had awaken inside the Phoenix.

After the death of my brother there was nothing I wanted more than to leave. The looks the people gave me infuriated me. So suspicious and so disbelieving. The looks of complete awe were worse in some ways. I did not want to be worshipped as a God. I was a monster. And so I ran

.--East Europe 1008 A.D.--

Europe was an odd place. Actually every other place besides Egypt was odd to me. These people did not have sewage systems. They threw their filth onto the walking paths. How disgusting. As I walked through the town I kept my hood up. I didn't need more attention than I already had.

It seemed every form that I inhabited was of Vampire beauty but subtly human. A heartbeat and bloodflow is the only way one could tell. In this form, I was pale like these people and that unsettled me. My hair was as red as blood and straight as cornsilk. My lips the same color. I would rather be in my Egyptian form. I miss the caramel complexion and my black curly hair. Hmm, maybe next time. I stode into an Inn with purpose. I needed a bed for the night.

A shrewd old lady came to my aide at last. "Would you like a room for the night or a suite, young one," she rasped. Her voice was like dying felines. I cringed. "Yes, ma'am. A suite."She looked at me skeptically and told me the price. "Here's a coin purse. I will be staying for a week and I expect quality service," I said, with a snarl. She paled visibly. "Only the best service ma'am! Slave? Come take this beautiful lady to her room immediately!" I gave her a look when she said slave. I was never keen on the ownership of others but I had seen it. When I took over the throne in Egypt I put an end to slavery.

A pale girl of about 14 summers came padding in barefoot. "Yes, Mistress." She turned to me and her eyes widened. I smiled at the girl. She was quite beautiful for her age. She blushed. "Right this way Madame." I followed quietly as we came to my suite. She fumbled around with the keys trying to unlock the door. I chuckled quietly. When she finally opened it I walked in and gave a once over of the place. "This will do. Thank you, young one," I said sincerely. She ducked her head shyly. I walked forward swiftly and tilted her chin up."You do not look upon my face? Why?"I could hear her heart beating erratically. "I...it is not my place, My lady," she whispered. I scowled. "You will not act as a slave around me. I will see to it that you are free before I go about my way." Her face lit up and she smiled tearfully.I reached into the pocket of my cloak and gave her a coin purse. She looked at it with wide eyes before trying to hand it back."I could not take this from you. You are too kind, my lady," she said vehemently. I pushed it back into her hands. "I will not take it back. It is yours. If you ever need food or shelter you will have it. Would you deny a guests gift for wonderful service," I asked jovially. She blushed and tucked away. "Thank you again, my lady." I sighed. I hated titles. "Call me Asha, please. What is your name?" Her face lit up. "My name is Irina." I smiled. She had a beautiful name. "You may return to your duties. I will be here if you need anything." She nodded and began to back away not wanting to break eye contact."Thank you, my- Asha," she said before running downstairs. Hmm, interesting.

The next few days, Irina would come and bring me water to bathe. Each time she would blush fiercely and stutter. It was cute i might add. Occasionally i would ask her to wash my hair just so i could get her to stay a little longer and bathe. I could smell cuts on her back that had the potential to get infected if not taken care of. "Why do you always have me bathe, Asha," she asked from the bath. I sat on the sofa in from of my bed reading an old tome. I continued to read as i answered. "The old lady beats you doesn't she?" Her heart beat faster. I closed the book and strode to her side. "You bathe because they could get infected and I would not stand for it." She blushed. How I love her shyness. "May I ask why you care," she whispered. "Nobody has ever cared." I am silent for a moment. Why do I care? I've never really taken such an interest in other people before unless it was for sex. "You are special, 'Rina. You have great potential and I see a long future ahead of you." I was not lying. I foresaw her future but I didn't look too far. I like surprises very much and the temptation to meddle was strong. There would be Vampires here that would take an interest in her. They would love her like I could not. I am never permanent. She cuts off my musing with her adorable voice.

"I can never repay you for your kindness," she said looking down into the water. I shook my head. "You don't have to but you will by becoming more." At that I walked back to my bed and picked up my tome.

The last day of my stay I was talking to the old bag and putting the suggestion in her head to let Irina go when the three lady's asked. She was very susceptible as I had imagined. I left a few garments and another coin purse under her small cot in the kitchen. Irina, who had been escorting the Vampires about the town, chose this moment to come back. Her eyes were teary."You leave so swiftly?" I sighed and nodded.

"I must go, my love. I am a nomad. Here take this," I said pulling a golden ring from my finger. Her eyes bulged as I slid it onto her finger. She touched it reverently. "Will I ever see you again," she asked as her tears finally fell. I leaned down and kissed her head softly. "We will meet again in a different time and a better place."

As I walked away she watched me all the way. Ahead three Vampire women stood watching with odd expressions. "Who are you," the eldest looking said in a sneer. I thought for a second before answering. "I have many names but you may call me Asha. I am taking my leave." As I began to walk a hand wrapped around my arm. I stopped trying to hold in my snarl. "These are Sasha and Katarina. I am Tatyana. What were you to Irina," the shortest asked suspiciously. I turned around unlatching her arm with ease. They looked surprised. "She is my friend. I expect you to take care of her in my absence. Understand," I said, letting my powerful aura flow around me. They stepped back unconsciously, nodding. "What are you," Sasha asked fearfully. I smiled sweetly at them."The Phoenix. We will meet again young succubi." With that I walked away from another life yet again.

 **I am taking suggestions on what the pairing should be. Alice, Kate, and Tanya are out of the question. So are Jane and Esme. I was thinking Vicky or Bella. Maybe even Leah (that poor soul). Rosalie is available but what would I do with Emmett. Maybe I could get some action in with her while she's still human;) This is completely AU and Femslash as fuck so hit me up with ideals. Good readings, my samurais:)**


	2. Volturi

**Hope you all will like this chapter! I'm a newb so I'm doing my best to make it as good as possible. I will only get better with time and practice. Doing this on an IPod is hard but i like it better than a computer. Pm me ideas or pairings. I've made my character somewhat aromantic/non sexual so far. She's just living and doing her thang. Review Review Review Adeu Adeu Adeu. Good Readings, samurais;)**

\--Volterra 1347 A.D.--

As I walked into the Volturi's Castle I surveyed the place. It was beautiful for the time but you could tell that something lurked the halls. The feeling of being watched suffocated the place. I walked towards the huge wooden doors to what I assumed was somewhat a throne room. How quaint. What gave these vampires seniority over any other?

The doors burst open before I got there. A big vampire came through going to grab my arm. I mean this guy was huge but he insighted only annoyance. I hadn't felt fear in some time.

I threw him across the room with my mind and continued my stroll. The big beast growled and I chuckled. So uncontrolled and childish. As he came to grab me again one of the Vampires on the thrones in front of me raised a hand. "Is that any way to treat a guest Felix? Calm yourself," he said in a flamboyant voice. This man was very odd. He had long black hair almost like mine but fine and straight where mine was curly and untamed. Marcus's was the same as Aro's and Caius's hair was pale blonde. To any other he would look menacing but to me he looked like a petulant child forced to sit still. All three were pale as snow.

I came forward and then stopped in front of him with a bored expression. "Aro, Marcus, and Caius I presume," I said. They were all quite different but the same. Marcus on the left sat observing me curiously. Aro looked intrigued and Caius looked furious. Hmm, interesting. "You are correct. What brings a human, or so I thought, to come see a coven of Vampires," Aro stated with thinly veiled fascination. I twirled a ring on my finger absentmindedly. Caius couldn't wait a second to interject. "How do you know what we are and what are you," he exclaimed angrily. His temperament was laughable. I silently wondered if most vampires were like this.

I quirked a brow at him.

"Caius, darling, you should get yourself under control before I do it for you," I said darkly. He flinched back in his little throne. Hopefully, I hurt his pride enough to shut him up.

Behind me I heard a snarl and turned around to see two younger looking Vampires sneering. They looked about 15 or 16 and looked similar despite the girl having blonde hair. I smiled at there cuteness and turned around.

"Aro, I have come to make my presence known to you. I am the Phoenix. I am Enyo, The Destroyer and so many other frivolous names. You may call me Asha," I said in a bored tone. His eyes widened and he stood in front of me in an instant. "You are the being that has incited such legends around the world. I have seen you in the minds of many," he said with a maniacal grin. I tilted my head at his need for dramatizion. He clapped abruptly making me laugh. I just couldn't hold it in. "Brothers, this being before us knows the true meaning of power. She is a Goddess in every meaning of the word. May I have the pleasure of reading you," He said in awe. Apparently, he had the power to read every thought one had ever had. I raised my hand without hesitation. If I had something to hide he would not see it. He took it swiftly and leaned in. I let his power past my shield and showed him what I wanted. He fell to his knees as he felt my power washing over him. I showed him my many years of reincarnation. I showed him the vampire army raised to destroy me. I showed him the way the Phoenix took control and destroyed everything and my many battles over recent years.

The Vampires around us growled loudly but I ignored them. I put my shield back up after a while and he stood looking at me with fear and bewilderment. "I have never felt such power in my life," He exclaimed. His brothers shifted In their thrones. It seems I make them nervous. I took advantage of the sudden silence and caught Caius's eye. I smirked menacingly. He held back a growl at my insolence. "Marcus," Aro said excitedly making me turn toward said vampire.

His brother's gaze seemed to go through me trying to see something others could not. It would have disturbed a lesser being.

I opened my shield to let him read my bonds. "She has bonds tarnished by death. No mating bonds have formed yet, interesting," his mind whispered. I smiled. "You are correct Marcus," I said out loud. Aro went to him swiftly and took his hand.

When he turned back to me he looked somewhat saddened for me which made me angry. "I came not for pity but to forewarn you, Aro. I have seen your plans and they will not come to pass in this life." His expression was one of confusion until it lit up with recognition.

The flamboyant fool had planned his own sister's demise. The visions had come to me in a dream. Seeing Marcus so comatose and dead inside insighted cold fury in my bones.

Though I had yet to find a mate I would not allow that type of bond to be ruined by greed and power hungry possessiveness. He went to object but I stopped him with a raised hand. "If you go along with this plan I will end your coven," I said in a deadly calm voice. The fledglings around us didn't dare to growl. He blanched and bowed his head to me. "Yes, of course. Though I have one request," he said. I waited for him to continue as I tapped my foot. "I would ask you to stay for a while and help us rule." That took me by surprise. Hmm. I looked around at the annoyed faces of the fledgling Vampires and began to grin.

Caius looked ready to burst but knew better. Marcus looked intrigued. "On one condition, young Aro," I said with a smile. His face lit up with excitement. If he thought I would stay here as a member of the guard he was sorely mistaken. I rule, I do not follow commands. "Anything," he purred dramatically. I scoffed and stepped forward slowly.

"I want a throne and you are to call me Enyo around anyone that isn't Volturi. I do not want the world knowing my real name." Aro's grin grew like a wildfire.

And so I stayed.

\--Volterra 1575A.D.--

I had been with the Volturi for many centuries. Despite the fact that I kept dying of old age and reincarnating, they tracked me down each time with the help of a fairly new recruit called Demetri. And so life had been eventful to say the least. From the Romanians trying to retake the throne to destroying rogue vampires, feral Lycans, and newborn armies. I loved having the chance to let my powers free and wreak havoc. The looks on the faces of the vampires that were to be punished were priceless. Some were..less than satisfactory. Actually it was horrid.

One day we had caught wind of a vampire named Sasha that had created an immortal child. The name rung a bell. It rung a lot of bells actually. "She's gone insane. The child is destroying everything in sight," the male vampire cried. I didn't care to remember his name. I sat on my throne just livid. My blue eyes aflame with rage. Sasha wasn't a friend but she was supposed to be taking care of Irina. What had driven her to this? "How old is the child, my friend," Aro asked in a fake concerned voice. The looked man outraged. "The boy is, at the most, three years old sire," he exclaimed. I growled and stood from my throne. As I padded down the marble steps, Aro moved out of my way swiftly. I grabbed the sniveling vampire by the throat and lifted him into the air. The guard chuckled at sight.

"And you didn't think to eradicate the threat? You were right there and you just watched," I roared in his face. The pitiful vampire stuttered. How can a vampire stutter? Now that I'm up close the man looks hideous for a vampire. He looks like a rat with fleas. Whomever changed him must have done it on accident. "I..I was afraid! It was a coven of four," he finally managed to get out. I let him drop back onto his feet and turned around to go back to my throne.

"Aro," I said in a tone that said it all. Aro smiled wide. "My dear friend, there are no excuses for cowardice. The Volturi uphold the law above fear of death. I am sorry that we must do this," he said in a mocking voice. I cracked a smile. He grew on me.

As the guards grabbed him, Ratface struggled in vain. If vampires could shit themselves he would have in that moment. His pleading was annoying. "Wait. Aro forgot to mention something," I said innocently, twisting a lock of raven hair. The man stopped struggling and got a hopeful look in his eyes. I struggled to keep a straight face.

"The Volturi don't give second chances." With a flick of my wrist the guards tore him apart. Once they were done they stepped away and I burned the pieces. Reducing him to ash. That is how everything ends. Returning to dust. "Cinis cinerem," I murmured under my breath.

Despite his death we still had to deal with the child and Sasha. We made our way to Eastern Europe the next day. Some of them were itching to kill but I was sorrowful. I didn't want my second meeting with Irina to be through the death of her mother but it was my duty. She wouldn't recognize me anyway.

Once we found the village they were in we knew. There were bodies strewn everywhere. Humans piled on top of humans. I didn't smell the sisters or Sasha anywhere yet but I did smell the child. The farther we got into the village the worse it got. Finally, we came upon the boy. He was beautiful. No. He was exquisite. He had gorgeous blonde hair the hung just above his eyes and chubby cheeks that begged to be pinched. I never thought I would want a child but now I see. The only thing out of place on him was th blood around his mouth and his glowing red eyes. They pierced through to my soul. The boy rose his arms as if to say,"Hold me so I can tear into your neck." He looked ready to cry when I shook my head. Aro took this moment to come up beside me. "It is such a shame that this child cannot be saved," he said sincerely. I was taken aback by his genuineness. I sighed sadly. "Yes. Yes it is." Suddenly footsteps came up behind us. I turned to see the guards grabbing Tatyana, Katarina, and Irina. My little Irina. She had grown beautifully. It saddened me to not have been there. They looked at me in confusion, no doubt thinking me human. Not many vampires that met me got to live to tell my secret.

I turned away from them with some struggle.

"Pray tell, where is your beloved mother," Aro asked behind me. I watched as Jane moved towards the child and picked him up. He seemed to like her. Maybe because she looked like his maker. I looked up as Sasha came sprinting in. "Get away from my children. My Vasili," she cried. If she could cry she would be balling right now. She knew why we were here, what we were going to do. I nodded to Felix and Demetri to hold her still on her knees. The cries of Sasha and her children ate away at me. "Caius," I said in a neutral tone. He grinned and lay his torch on the pile of bodies in front of me. I watched in awe at the fire. How I loved it so.

"Jane," I said distractedly. She smiled at Sasha and threw Vasili into the fire. It roared to life and I beamed. The sister screamed at the display. "Mother!" It was all so sad but there are rules. I turned toward them with a heavy heart. They glared daggers at me as I smiled. It never faltered. I was such a sadist.

"I apologize for what is about to happen but we have rules for a reason. These humans did not have to die. Vasili and your mother did not have to die. But...she chose to disobey. The Volturi do not give second chances," I said as calmly as I could. With that I turned around and nodded at Jane. She smirked and stared into Sasha's eyes. "Pain," she said plainly. Sasha's screams echoed until Aro ripped her head from her body. As they threw her body into the fire I just stared, transfixed and troubled. The sound of screeching metal and the cries of her daughters were all that was left. I hated myself.

\--Volterra 1780--

The Volturi guard and the brothers looked at me with utter respect and devotion. But Jane, Alec, Marcus, and Didyme were my favorites, along with Felix, Heidi, and Demetri of course. Despite this they were all like family. The connections between us were deep. I didn't allow Aro to use Chelsea so they were genuine. As I brushed my blonde hair and stared at the grey roots I chuckled. No wonder I kept coming back here. This was a stark contrast to the way I had seen them turning out in my vision. I wouldn't have it any other way.

We had caught wind of an animal feeding Vampire and summoned him to us a couple decades ago. As Carlisle was a very kind man and didn't lack empathy like the others, I let him live. Aro and Caius always wanted to solve things by killing, I mused. Though his feeding habit was uncommon it seemed harmless. His aura was also soothing and so began our friendship.

On this day he requested an audience with us in the throne room. I sat at my throne interested in what young Carlisle had to say. My grey hair tied into a bun at the top of my head and my skinny legs crossed. I sipped my wine gingerly. Life was splendid for me. Being this old made me feel superior for some reason.

"I would like to go out into the world, The New World. I want to travel," he said solemnly. Aro looked ready to disagree but I raised a hand silencing him. "Young Carlisle, what is your aspiration in life," I asked him. He didn't have to think twice. "I want a family. I want to be happy," I smiled at him. It was the first genuine smile I had had in a while as I let a part of his future show itself to me. "And so you shall. Go about your way Carlisle. We will meet again, in another time, in a different place, " I said reverently. He smiled at me sadly. He didn't want to leave me but the urge to begin life was burning inside him. I stood from my throne and embraced him with my somewhat frail arms. "I will never forget you, Asha," he whispered. I tightened my grip. I will not forget _you_ , Carlisle.

He left swiftly after gathering his things. My love following him all the way. And shortly after I left another chapter of my life.

 **Hope y'all enjoyed it. Asha/Enyo ain't too evil.**


	3. Slavery

**Third chapter you guys. Like I said, I have most of this written already and I'm still writing it as we speak. I like stories about things such as slavery. It's interesting to think about how I would fair if I was in that situation. Good readings y'all:)**

\--Tennessee 1842--

I had been born into my favorite form this time and for that I was grateful. My skin was deep caramel. Shiny and smooth. My hair long and thick, curly as possible but I had cut the sides and nape down with a razor I had stolen. I was 5'9" and muscled generously as a teenage woman could be. It reminded me so much of my Egyptian body but in that body I had not been a slave.

I had been born to a slave mother named Misty. How ridiculous. I loved her though, more than I had loved any other mother that had birthed me. She was strong and almost as wise as me. She had seen pain like one could not imagine. She had seen horrors and experienced them in kind. I would miss her when I left this place but I would make sure she was free and my family as well.

My sisters and brothers were beautiful and amazing. They loved me more than I had ever experienced from any other siblings. Ashilan was the oldest and had helped Mama take care of us. Her beauty rivaled all of the white women we had seen. They had tried to make her a house wench but I persuaded them otherwise with my mind. It didn't stop the so called Master from sneaking into her bed when we all slept. He would die. She conceived a beautiful son named Malachi. The Master told her never to tell a soul or he would kill him. I would like to see him try.

Tori was the second oldest. She looked much like me but darker. She was intelligent and kind. She taught us to read after she had taught herself. I was the middle child surprisingly. Then came Justice, Chad, and Wade. They were young but strong. They never got in trouble unlike me.

We would have bonfires in the barn when the Master was asleep. All of the slaves and my family would sing and dance. Mama was known as the Voodoo preistess to the other slaves. She would sacrifice chickens and rabbits and snakes to protect us. One night, the fire called to me. Being born of it, fire fascinated me to no end. As my brother and sister slave chanted I walked slowly toward Mama and the flames. The chanting seared into my mind making me sway. It got louder and louder as I neared it. My body moved on its own, dancing and chanting around the fire. My hands slowly went toward the fire until hands yanked me away.

Mama stood with her hands on mine looking at me knowingly with her almond shaped eyes. The scars on her face made me look away sadly. "You shole do like to play wit fire, baby. But ya play wit it ya get burnt," she said quietly and walked away. I left the barn with my mind reeling. Did she know? Did she care?

Sometimes Mama would look at me like she knew what I was. Like I said, a wise woman. She never stopped loving me despite this. I would never forget this woman. Nor would I forget my family. I decree it so.

I was 16 now and had managed not to become a house wench because of my strength in the fields. I was alluring, yes, I had the body and look for it. Despite, that it was a look that this period did not know what to think about. I looked more suitable for women to be attracted to me. I had no problem with this. I was more attracted to women anyway. It didn't help that I was known for disobedience. The scars on my back were healed beautifully but they were a tapestry of reminders that humans were cruel.

I buckled as the whip sliced through my skin again. No cry left my lips but tears threatened to fall. Not because of the sharp pain but for Mama. I had been caught looking at the Master's daughter again. She was always staring at me from the porch with her mouth twitching into a small smile. Twirling her blonde hairs around her finger. Of course I'd smile back and forget about the fact that I was a slave. The overseer was always watching and so I couldn't do anything without getting caught. I didn't think a little smile would hurt anything.

Which in turn, earned me another whipping and they always made Mama watch.

She struggled in my sisters' arms, tears streaking down her beautiful face. "Stop! Let my baby go. She had enough," she cried between sobs. My sisters watched with tears of their own. The whip bit Into me again.

"Shut up you old bitch. She deserves it with all that grinnin and goin on. You reckon yall should switch places," The overseer rasped. I hated him and I would have his soul. Mama nodded fiercely. "I'll take ha beatin," she cried. I steeled myself. I would never see her beat again. "No, Mama. This is my fault and I'm gone take the beatin," I said. She tried to intervene but I gave her a look. She looked me in the eye and saw the lack of fear. She saw something ancient and wise. She nodded slowly straightening herself. When the whipping was done I limped back to our shack and my sisters laid me on my stomach gently.

"He gotcha good lil sista," Ashilan said softly. I groaned. "It's nothin I ain't had before, " I muttered. I could feel Tori's anger boiling over behind me. I hated making her angry.

At 18, I had had enough and decided it was time to go. I had never tried to run away but it was time. That night would be the night. I would run and come back for my family once I had a home up north.

Before my plan could even get into motion the Master brought some guests to the plantation. As the carriage came in I felt the blood drain from my face. Fucking Vampires.

I stood with my family by the shack as they came in. "They got to be the best looking white folks I ever seen," Ashilan whispered. I tensed as the Vampire male looked her way and smiled. I scowled at him. He would not have my sister.

These Vampires weren't cold ones. I knew they were more traditional, with blood and heartbeats. No sparkling, no venom, and they weren't as viciously thirsty. That didn't stop me from wanting to rip their heads off.

"Stay away from them, Ashilan," I said in her ear so they wouldn't hear. She looked at me confused but at the look I gave her she nodded. I didn't leave that night in fear for my family but come to find out I made the right choice.

I awoke to smoke and screams coming from the Masters mansion. I woke Mama and my siblings and we peeked outside to see what was going on. The vampires were going about setting things on fire and draining the Masters family on the front porch. I walked out swiftly and stood in front of them. The Master's daughter was dead. Her eyes glazed over like I'd seen a million times before. Such a shame. We could have had great sex in another life.

When only the Master was left they threw him in front of me. "This man doesn't seem to know that yall good folks were s'posed to be freed. We took it upon ourselves to inform him," he said grinning. I looked at him for a moment and read his mind, his aura, and his future then did the same to his mate. "Hmm, yall are good people, don't leave til I'm done with this scoundrel," I said calmly. They nodded and watched me. My family and the other slaves gathered around this monster. He had done unspeakable things and ruined our lives for far too long. "Listen brothers and sisters, tonight we kill this monster. But not just that. Yall be ready to leave this place and head anywhere. Don't stay down here or you'll find yourself a slave again. Tonight and for the rest of our lives we are free," I said stoically staring at the bleeding Master.

My fellow slaves praised and hollered to the sky. I don't think I've ever seen anyone so happy in my life. James Odair sneered at me. "Yall will always be slaves in this country. Can't nobody or nothin change that. Hell, yall ain't even human," he said with a scowl.

I laughed darkly and prowled towards him and picked him up by the throat without struggle. Everyone gasped.

"They are but I'm not," I said with a grin. "Years ago I promised myself I'd have your soul…and I will." His screams were delicious as I crushed him to ashes.

Once finished I turned to my family. They were the only ones who didn't look scared of me.

"I always knew you was more, baby," Mama said giving me a hug. "We did too but we ain't wanna make you feel bad," Ashilan said with a sad smile. I looked down with teary eyes. I didn't want to leave them.

"I love yall and I want yall to live the lives yall have wanted," I said quietly."But..I have to go my own way. I'm sorry. I love yall so much." They pulled my into a hug and we cried together for the last time. As they went back to get their belongings I watched sadly.

"You are a strong being," the female vampire, Lucille, said behind me. I sighed and turned around to join them.

"That I am but even strong beings such as myself need family." They nodded solemnly.

"I have a favor to ask of you both," I said stoically. They looked at me in confusion.

"I want you to turn me into a Vampire so that I may live forever in this form. I want to keep these scars and the memories of this family forever."

They looked understanding and agreed to do it after we had my family and friends safely in the North.

Once we got up North it was as bigoted as down South but veiled in false niceties. We went farther up to Canada where there was no slavery and racism was not something that was looked upon as normal. I got in contact with Aro and bought my family and friends homes and set them up with enough money and assets to hold them until they could find jobs. I left swiftly as to not prolong the suffering. I was not someone that they should have around. Danger and the supernatural follow me constantly. Everywhere i go I bring death and destruction.

After leaving my family, Lucille and Jonathan found a shack in the woods on the border of America. We decided I would be changed here. It was quite small but I didn't plan to stay here long at all.

"Will this hurt like venom," I asked calmly. I wasn't afraid but I needed to know beforehand."Not at all, you will drink from one of us and then we will snap your neck. Once you awaken you will be a Vampire. It's much easier in my opinion and more fun," Lucille said whimsically. I liked her but she was sort of batshit. Jonathan smiled at his mate dreamily. Ugh. Ew.

"Can we get on with this please," I growled. They jumped into action. Jonathan took it upon himself to be my sire but I didn't complain.

He opened his vein with his thumbnail and I grabbed his wrist and pulled it to my mouth hungrily. It smelled delicious. "When you wake you will feel disoriented but don't be afraid. Also, Cold One venom has no effect on us. Nor does a Lycan bite. But you can scar from them," he explained as I drank and drank. He yanked his wrist from me with some struggle. My heart was beating rapidly. I thought it might burst through my chest. Blackness quickly took over as he snapped my neck.

When I opened my eyes I was hooked. My sight had been exceptional before but this was beyond imagination. I could hear humans talking but there had been no humans anywhere close so I surmised they were far away. As I stood my eyes widened. All I had to do was think about it. Life was going to be interesting indeed.

My throat itched terribly. I scratched it unconsciously. I needed a human to drink. The thought made my eyes roll back. My gums ache so bad. I want to tear into something.

"Ashtan," Jon called hesitantly. I turned around, swiftly. I almost growled but my memories hit me like a freight train. I lifted a hand in the air and gazed at my skin. It was even smoother if possible. I ran my hands through my hair and grinned like an idiot. It was thicker. I was starting to like this very much. "Are you okay," Lucille said cautiously. I laughed aloud. Life was going very fucking well.

"Okay? I'm phenomenal. Let's go get a human for me to drink," I said excitedly. They looked at each other before turning to me with a mischievous look.


	4. Maria

**New Chapterrrrr. I hope y'all like this one as well. Good readings. Enjoy;)**

Come to find out, my transformation had taken me a bit longer because of my powers. But after it was over we had discovered that my powers had intensified. I wasn't complaining at all. The thirst was a different story though. It was like something was stuck in my throat and I couldn't get it out. It was quite annoying to say the least. Sometimes I'd catch myself wanting to be semi human again but I always got that thought out of my head. I would deal with my decision.

Lucille, Jon, and I had spent a couple years freeing slaves in the south before I parted ways with them to have some alone time.

I was in Louisiana in the French Quarter just having some fun. Cajun blood was nice and spicy. Just couldn't get enough. The girls were wild down here too.

When I found the owners of it they were standing in an alley draining a human. A smile broke out on my face slowly. I hadn't seen my children in such a long time. They seemed to be doing well for themselves.

"What brings you all on the prowl for me? As you see I've been turned into a vampire and so I don't need to be hunted down like usual," I said seriously. They looked at each other before turning back to me. Something was wrong, I surmised.

"There is a problem that needs taken care of and Master Aro thought you would love the opportunity," Demetri said with a dark smirk. I quirk a brow and then allow their minds to whisper to me. This Maria has been very naughty indeed. Newborn armies were not something to play with. The carnage that ensued from just a few them was disastrous. An army? That's not something that can be ignored.

"You move with the times well, Mother. We never thought someone of your age would seem so…young," Jane said with a smile. I pondered this. I did seem more lively since my turning. Life was so vibrant now.

"Whatever, fledglings. Has Aro sent word to them in advance. I want to smell Maria's fear from miles away," I said darkly. They grinned at my old ways coming back. Everyone seemed to like me being evil.

As I came closer to the stronghold I was intercepted by a laughable growl. The Cold One was in front of me in seconds crouched low. I stood with my my legs and arms crossed looking bored."Do you want to die, kid, or do you want me spare your life? Either one is fine with me," I said with a sigh.

As we walked into Maria's home or whatever the bitch wanted to call it, she sat straighter. Her eyes shone with fear. _Good girl_ , the Phoenix sneered.

"Enyo, I see you've met Jasper," she said in a fake cheerful voice. "I hope he was not troublesome?" I rolled my eyes and sat down on a chair that sat in the corner. I crossed my legs casually and clasped my hands together.

"Maria, cut the shit. I'm here to make you answer for these newborn nuisances you've brought into this world. You knew it was a crime didn't ya," I said with a smirk. Killing was fun but anticipation was sweet. So sweet. She looked ready to get on her knees and beg. That would do her no good.

"Hmm, let's see the truth shall we," I said venomously. I let my powers wash over her swiftly, holding her still. I saw everything. From Jasper's turning to the power she possessed that he knew nothing about. He was under her spell.

"Did you know she has a power," I said to him once I was finished. "She has the power of persuasion. You've been tricked."

He shook with unbridled rage. I could feel the betrayal coursing through his body.

"How could you," he snarled. Hmm, maybe he was worthy of living. Maria looked like she was about to shit, if she could that is. From all the scars I figured he was fierce but for Maria whom was his elder to be fearful he must be something to behold.

"I'm sorry to break up this lovers quarrel but I have a whole newborn army to kill. Jasper I am going to trust you to take care of the bitch and then burn this place down. If you break my trust I will turn you to dust. Roger?" He nodded before stopping me.

"There are two of my friends out there. Their names are Peter and Charlotte. They aren't newborns and they had been planning to escape with me. Please don't kill them, ma'am," he said in a painful whisper. I felt sympathy in that moment.

As I stepped out the door of Maria's house or whatever I smiled as her screams met my ears. Lovely.

"Peter and Charlotte," I said in a normal tone. They were before me in seconds.

The newborns must have heard because they charged toward us. My eyes glazed over with inky blackness immediately. "Hell yeah," I exclaimed, letting the Phoenix take over. The flames burst forth on their own. Searing and turning the first couple vampires to ashes. I roared as I pulled them toward me with my mind before setting them alight. I went through separately from the other two. As I ripped off heads and crushed bodies I laughed like a hyena. These cold ones were so easy. The last was a big boy with short choppy hair and bulging muscles. He looked calm too which was odd.

"Hey, big boy. You not afraid of death," I said sweetly. He cracked a smile and stared me in the eye. "Come to me," he whispered. I arched a brow at him with a laugh threatening to burst free. His smile faltered. "His power is mind control," Peter said finally. I sighed.

"Look baby, your power ain't gonna save you. But I can show you how it feels since you tried it on me," I said with a smirk. He looked ready to run but I beat him to the punch.

"Kill yourself slowly," I purred. In his eyes I saw true pain and pure lust at once. How contradictory. This was my favorite method of execution to be honest.

"I trust yall will burn all the body and get the hell out of this shithole?" The three of them nodded furiously.

"No need to be afraid of me kiddos. I was just doing my job. Honestly, it was fun and I got some cool new scars. Everything's peachy," I laughed. They looked like they couldn't believe me. "Is this a trap," Charlotte said skeptically. I chuckled. No one ever believed I wasn't a evil bitch all the time.

"No you're free to go after you burn the rest of these imbeciles. I wish you three good riddens. We will meet again," I said before taking off. Oh how I love newborn armies more than Cajun blood. They fought so hard but in vain of course.


	5. Alice

\--Biloxi 1918--

I loved the South more than I had loved any other place. Despite prejudice and slavery I saw potential in it. The southern accent stuck like a thorn in the thumb as well. I was just made to be here in the deep south.

Biloxi, Mississippi was a quite small town in the beginning but started developing quite quickly. I remember my old master used to get slaves from here. I digress. I was here for no other reason than to check out a vampire who has been working at an asylum.

As I walk through the door the lady behind the desk gasps. How I wish racism didn't exist.

As I strut up to the woman she looks ready to call the police at any moment. I am amused and offended. "Ma'am, I am looking for a Johan. I need to speak to him," I stated casually. She trembled like I had told her I was taking her hostage. I grinned a little and her face flushed.

"He is on the second floor. Probably with that crazy girl," she said quietly. I pulled a few dollars from my wallet and through them across the desk. I even through in a little wink to hear her heart race.

I snuck to the second floor quiet as a mouse. As I did I heard screams and the sounds of people banging their heads against the walls. It was sickening. This was one of the times that I wish I didn't have superb hearing. One on the second floor I prowled down the hallway until I heard him.

"Mary Alice, you can't keep telling people what you see," I heard suddenly. My eyebrows scrunched together. The voice came from a Cold One. They were easy to pick out. This must be Johan.

"I'm sorry but it's real. Why won't anyone believe me," a young girls voice said quietly. Her voice sounded strained. She had been screaming recently.

"People do not normally see the future, Mary Alice," the Cold One said sullenly. My brows shot up. I had met other seers who were human but they were soothsayers. They never really got visions that were interpreted. They were always metaphoric. She must be very powerful.

"She's here," Mary Alice said suddenly. "She needs to talk to us." I almost growled. Goddamned seer. You can never sneak anything past them.

As I came around the corner Johan growled and stood in front of the human, Mary Alice, protectively. I tilted my head in confusion but decided not to ask.

"Johan, I've come to talk to you about this whole job set up you have here," I said calmly. He gave me a calculating look.

"You are Enyo. The Volturi Queen," he said, scowling. I rolled my eyes at his perceived prejudice.

"And so I am. This set up is a problem. It is too easy for you to be exposed," I said too quietly for Mary to hear. He sighed, seemingly in defeat.

I glanced at the girl to see her staring off into space. She was so small. It looked like her hair had been cut and was in the growing back phase. Her face looked haunted and her wrists were scarred from being bound. She couldn't have weighed more than 95 lbs. My face hardened. She had been recieiving very poor treatment. Johan saw my evaluations of the girl and looked sympathetic.

"A vampire named James is hunting her. He is a very good tracker and he will stop at nothing until he has her," he said quietly. I felt heat rising in my body and tried to control it as best I could. "Alice says that he will be coming tonight and I am afraid for her."

"I'll take care of him. Look, you need to lose this job and get out of here before my children come for you. You may stay here until I get back. I need to find this girl's family and this James," I said fiercely.

He nodded solemnly. I looked back at the human and she was smiling at me like I was her friend. "Hello Ashtan, you've kept me waiting," she said in a raspy high pitched voice. I blanched. She must have saw my name in a vision. Despite the shock I couldn't help smiling back.

"I apologize little lady, but I work to do. I still do. I will be back at midnight to watch over you," I said with warmth in my heart. This girl was something else. The feelings she elicited in vampires was extreme. She went to say something but was cut off by a vision.

As she came to her face was even more haunted.

"It will be too late." My eyes widened. How could I be too late about anything? I looked into the future a bit and saw Johan injecting venom into Mary as James burst through the door of her room. Then I saw Johan being torn apart and James burning the peices. Alice waking from the change with no memories. Her finding Jasper. I stopped abruptly. She is the Major's mate? Alice would be fine if I didn't intervene. This was hard to accept but the future is nothing to mess with.When I came back I saw Johan and Alice looking at me intrigued.

"Did you just have a vision," Alice said excitedly as she could for a tortured soul. I nodded sullenly.

"It looks like you will be fine Alice. Johan do what I said and…take care of Alice. No matter what the cost," I said fiercely. He nodded with determination in his eyes. He was a good man.

"Understood," he said stoically. This time walking away was the hardest thing I'd ever had to do. I felt like I was leaving her to die. I was..but she would wake up better. She would have Jasper and much more.

On my way out of town I sniffed out Alice's old home and family. I went through the window of what used to be her room silently. The was quaint and seemed long forgotten. The smell of dust permeated the room. I wouldn't be surprised if they hadn't touched anything in her after they'd discarded little Alice. Her scent was there as faint as it was. And another scent as well. It must be Cynthia's. It was quite similar to Alice's.

The house was silent except for the ticking of a clock and the mice they had in the attic. I'm not sure if they knew about that or not. I don't care.

I looked around the room sadly. It was quite the contrast from her cubby hole in the Asylum. I imagined Alice sitting at her little desk in the corner writing or drawing her visions down silently. Maybe she played hide and go seek with Cynthia in the yard when she was younger. "Stop thinking and get the things you need for Alice," I growled under breath. "Humans and their ways of getting me attached."

I went to the closet first and found a suitcase. I moved about the room silently gathering what was left of her belongings. I took pictures, notes, drawings, her diary. Almost nothing was left. Before I went back out the window, I thought about getting revenge on her family. I would delight in their screams and pleads for mercy... Something was wrong about that. I shook the thought away immediately. I don't think Alice would want revenge. As I slipped through the window

I felt the beginning of change coming.


	6. Rosalie

**Enjoy;)**

\--Rochester 1932--

New York. A place of development and bustling business. Carlisle had invited me to meet his family here in Rochester. He'd found his mate and turned a 17 year old boy who'd had the Spanish flu. Apparently the boy could read minds. I was quite interested in meeting them.

When I got the news from Aro I was flabbergasted. Not because of Esme and Edward but because I figured he would forget about me though he said he would not. I guess I was his favorite person back then as well. It warmed my cold heart a little.

As I walked into the town I felt the potential of the city. It was growing fast but not as fast as New York City. One at a time I guess.

I was dressed in my best all black, three piece suit, ready for the party Carlisle telegraphed about. Even the tie was black. I wanted to protray my soul tonight, wink.

My long mane was put up in a low bun at the nape of my neck letting the still shaved sides show. My signature style. To me I looked male enough. I'd even strapped down my breasts as well. Humans weren't perceptive, they'd fall to my feet.

I followed Carlisle's scent into a ballroom full of Caucasian humans. I'm getting real tired of being the only person with melanin, I mused snarkily.

As I surveyed the room my mood began to drop.

"Asha," Carlisle whispered. I followed it eagerly. The stares were making me angry. He smiled when I caught his eyes. As he walked toward me two people, who I presumed to be his son and mate, followed. I smiled warmly.

"You must be Esme and Edward," I said invitingly. Esme looked elegant and motherly. Carlisle had chosen well in matriarch. Edward was an inch taller than me and had a brooding look on his face. From what I heard he couldn't control his gift. That must be hell, I mused.

"I am known by many names but yall may call me Ashtan Odair. I don't go by Asha anymore Carlisle," I said with a look to Carlisle. He understood immediately. Esme smiled at me warmly and Edward looked at me confused.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Ashtan. We have heard so much about you," Esme said kindly. Her aura was so motherly. It brought back memories of Mama. "I must thank you for helping Carlisle." I waved her off, dismissing the comment.

"He's like a son to me. There is no need." Esme and Carlisle chuckled at this.

"Why can't I read your mind," Edward whispered, looking suspicious. I gave him an arched brow.

"It's called a mental shield. Take it as relief from all the voices you hear, son" I said back with a stern look. He looked ashamed at his behavior. I smiled slightly. "I'll teach you to control your gift," stated quietly. He looked at me in wonder and thanked me. It looked like a weight was lifted from his shoulders.

After Carlisle, his family, and I caught up and got to know each other I wandered the room ignoring the lusty whispers of the men's wives directed at me. These women had some odd fetishes. As I wandered a couple men stopped me to ask my trade and subsequently auction off their teenage daughters to me along with their pride. They didn't want to give their daughter to a negro but they needed insured money.

I, of course, declined all of them. Mr. Hale was next up for his turn it seemed as he strode toward me purposefully. I pretended not to see him.

"Hello, Mr. Odair. My name is Joseph Hale. I am the co-owner of the Bank of Rochester. This is my wife, Vivian, and my daughter, Rosalie," he said in kind, deep voice. He seemed like a genuine man from what i could read in the moment. He'd taken note of my name from all the other people who came up to me. So he was observant. That's a plus.

His wife offered me her hand as he introduced her and I kissed it as was custom in the south and here it seems. She looked quite youthful for her age I noticed. We exchanged pleasantries as I did the same with his daughter. Rosalie was quite stunning for a human but I had witnessed beauty on many many occasions. She was one of the most beautiful by far but I was not going to fall at her feet. That was not custom for queens.

"Well, as you know I am Ashtan Odair. It was nice meeting yall," I said kindly before turning to go back to Carlisle.

"Wait, Mr. Odair. May I have a dance," Rosalie asked in a fake sweet voice. I'm sure her father put her up to this. I turned around and gave a fake smile.

"Of course, Rosalie."

I took her hand and led her to the middle of the floor. As we danced I keep myself a suitable distance away. "So sir, what brings you to Rochester, " she said in a bored voice. I chuckled. This human was interestingly different.

"I came to reunite with Carlisle Cullen. You may know his son," I said conversationally. She nodded thoughtfully.

"I figured so. You and Edward have one thing in common it seems," she said. I looked at her confused and she continued. "You both don't drool over me like the rest of the men in town." I chuckled heartily.

She seemed vexed by this.

"You are quite stunning but I have seen many women in my life. It is not about the outside so much as the inside," I murmured sincerely. Rosalie nodded contemplatively.

"Father wants me to marry for the money. I have no problem with that because it would make him happy and secure our status. Is that vain," she asked thoughtfully. I thought on this for a second.

"Honestly, it is very selfless. I see how many would see you as vain but I know you are not," I said, determined. She ducked her head and blushed, hiding those violet eyes. I smiled discreetly, hiding my face in her hair.

"You are a flatterer, sir," she said quietly.

I shook my head.

"Call me Ashtan. I loathe pleasantries."

As we danced and talked I came to understand Rosalie as a compassionate human. We laughed and took jabs at each other until the night ended. I'd all but forgotten about Carlisle.

"It seems this night has come to an end, Rose," I said somewhat sadly as we stopped dancing.

She looked slightly sad as well. Her beautiful face marred with disappointment.

"Yes it has. I've enjoyed your presence surprisingly. I would very much like to spend time with you alone, Ms. Odair," she purred. I was so shocked that I laughed aloud. She was definitely more observant than I had pegged her for

"Of course. When?" She gave me her address and I told her I would pay her a visit sometime.

I walked back to Carlisle's home with Rosalie's violet eyes staining my mind.

The next few months were quite interesting. Rosalie and I got closer to the chagrin of Edward. He thought I was being reckless. I reminded him that I was pretty much indistinguishable from a human. Carlisle and Esme thought I was just having fun but really I was quite intrigued by her. Rosalie was a complex human if there was such a thing. Her likes and dislikes were copious. Her interests rivaled that of most vampires I'd met in my long life. She always had something on her mind.

We spent most of our time debating the merits of politics or arguing over the existence of Gods and Goddesses. She was a very critical thinker and I appreciated being challenged. Not many dared to disagree or even tell me why I was wrong.

Sometimes we would just sit in silence and enjoy the peace. I would watch the way her hands moved at she wrote something in her elegant handwriting. I would take note of the slight crease in her brow as she contemplated what she was writing. In these moments I would notice how she smelled like blueberries and pomegranate. My favorite fruits.

No matter how delectable she was, she was the forbidden fruit. I knew this as she'd told me of her aspirations to have many children gathered around her and her husband's deathbed. Her husband would be handsome still, even in old age. Her children would vary between resembling her and her husband. I would laugh as she ranted about the possibility of her children being hideous. Some would say that was vain but I would say no is it not. It's just Rosalie.

Rosalie eventually got betrothed to a man named Royce King III. His aura screamed deception and vanity. I could smell last night's liquor on his breath when Rosalie introduced him to me.

"Hello, I am Ashtan Odair," I said in a faux pleasant tone. Rosalie narrowed her eyes at me from her place at his side. At times it seemed that she knew me better than anyone else. Royce grinned and my stomach threatened to heave.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Sir. I am honored to meet a..person of your situation who has made it to your degree of esteem despite the odds." I held back a growl at his condescending tone. Discreet racial undertones were not something I tolerated. Rosalie's face scrunched up like she tasted something sour. It seems we agree on something then. I faked a smile and nodded.

"Yes, though the odds were not in my favor I managed to amass quite a fortune," I all but sneered. "I must be on my way. It was such a pleasure to meet my Rose's new beau. Toodaloo!"

With a flourish I turned and made my way done the street. As Rosalie's anguish washed over me I hung my head. This was what she wanted and so she had it. I could never give her what she dreamed of.

A month later, I sat in Carlisle's living room flipping through a random magazine lazily. It wasn't the best distraction but it would do. Edward came in suddenly ruining my semi peace. Since I'd taught him to control his power he had been cooped up in the house when possible practicing. I lifted my head up and looked at him expectantly. He wore wore a forlorn expression on his handsome face.

"Something has happened," he whispered almost silently. I heard him loud and clear. I dropped the magazine and stood before him before he could blink.

"What? Tell me. Is it Carlisle," I fired off quickly. He shook his head sadly. Esme was there swiftly looking worried.

"It's Rosalie. She was attacked. Carlisle is on his with with her. She's changing." It felt like someone had poured ice water down my back. Rosalie had been attacked. She was hurt so bad that Carlisle changed her. Why would anyone attack her? She was such a wonderful soul.

"What happened," Esme cried. I sat down on the couch silently, trying to grasp the severity of the situation.

"Her husband and his friends were drunk and they raped and-" I tuned the rest of It out after that. I couldn't bear it. I couldn't believe this to be true.

Carlisle burst through the door with blood on his chin and a screaming Rosalie in his arms. My eyes threatened to water and I stood immediately. "Go lay her on my bed," I ordered. He was gone in an instant with me on his tail.

I sat beside Rosalie through her whole change. I held her delicate hand and whispered apologies as she screamed and begged to be killed. It broke what was left of my heart to see her in so much pain. As I sang random melodies to her I thought over the situation. I wanted to hate Carlisle for changing her but I couldn't say I wouldn't have done the same.

I knew I would have. Even if she hated me for it.

As her heart gave it's last futile thumps I let go of her hand and stood away from her. I didn't want this to turn into a fight if I could help it.

She shot up after a few moments. Her red eyes were narrowed and her body coiled and ready to strike. She was so beautiful. She had been beautiful before but now she was a goddess. A deadly one. As she looked me over her body relaxed and she seemed to recognize me. "Ashtan," she said tentatively. Her voice was silken and musical. Like the sweetest melody one could fathom. I nodded and stood stock still. She was wrapped around me in seconds.

I kept my hands away from her.

"I missed you," she purred. I boiled with confusion. Did she not remember what happened?

"Rose, look at me." She looked up at me in confusion. "Try to remember before the pain," I said as calmly as possible. She stopped moving and looked like she was struggling. Suddenly she was in the other corner growling. Her chest heaved with sobs but she couldn't shed a tear.

This made her even more angry. Her screams rattled my brain.

"What did Carlisle do to me? Why didn't he just kill me," she screeched. Tears threatened to form in my eyes. "The Cullens and I are Vampires. You are now a Vampire, Rose. You will live forever frozen the way you are now. I'm sorry," I whispered. Her screams of anguish echoed throughout the house and the surrounding woods. I felt like I was at a funeral. Everything was washed in gray and black by Rosalie's grief. A few splashes of red and gold to liven up the occasion.

Rose had been in my room staring at a mirror since we had taken her to feed and I left her alone to grieve. She had been disgusted with what she had to do to feed. Rosalie wasn't really meant to be a vampire. Carlisle felt horrible but I consoled him. Though Rosalie hated this life now I was sure that she would come to terms with it and see him as a father figure. But these things come with time.

Rosalie only came out of my room to feed. Other than that she would just stare in the mirror and brush her hair. Sometimes she would dry sob or lay in my bed silently.

After months of this I decided that I should go talk to her.

As I opened the door I noticed Rosalie didn't even move from her position on my bed.

I took this as a good sign and sat beside. She turned away her from and curled into a ball.

I sighed sadly. "Rose, this family cares about you. Despite how much you hate them for saving you or damning you to this existence that is one thing that cannot be disputed. Carlisle only did what he thought was right for you. Take this as a chance to do all the other things you wanted to do and even more. Or..you could get revenge on the people that led you to this existence. Carlisle would not agree but I am not him. I know how it feels to have something taken away from you. To feel utterly powerless in a situation that is out of your hands. This happened for a reason. There are things that require your presence. The one thing I have learned throughout my very long existence is to never question the universe. Live, Rosalie."

After my speech she lay there shaking with her back still turned. As I moved to get up she shot toward me and hugged my back. I sighed in relief and turned around enveloping her in my arms. I tried to pour all my love into that one moment as possible until it ended.

She pulled back and looked into my eyes deeply.

"You've been there for me when I needed you and I see how much I mean to you. I will..try to live. I will try," she whispered. I smiled in relief.

"That's all I ask Rosalie Hale. That's all I ask."


	7. Rosalie 2: Phoenix Unleashed

\--1938--

Years passed by with little to no problems. Rosalie came out more after we moved to New Hampshire, spending more time with the family. I think New York reminded her of everything she lost. We shared a room, mostly because she felt comfortable with me and needed someone to hold her. She was a quite controlled vampire even though she didn't want to be one. After she got revenge on her attackers it only proved it more. She was much happier after that. She would go hunting alone and come back with light in her eyes. She loved the beauty of nature. The diversity of life is astounding she had told me.

One day she came back home with something else in her eyes and..her arms were quite full. She held a huge man with blood pouring from gashes on his arms and chest. His brown hair was matted with congealed blood and his blue eyes screamed pain. The look in Rose's eyes was unmistakable. It was not the thirst that I would have wished to be there but a frantic need. She needed to save him. "Carlisle! Save him please! You have to save him," she screeched. Carlisle rushed down swiftly and ushered her to his makeshift operating room. Leaving me dumbfounded.

I stood like a statue in the foyer looking at the blood on the mahogany floor. I pursed my lips. Esme sure knew how to make a home, I mused.

She and Edward were nowhere to be found. I guess he warned her when he heard Rosalie thoughts.

He had no need to warn me. My blood lust was shackled long ago, in a time much simpler than this.

I squatted down and glared at the liquid magenta like it had insulted me. I extended my arm and poked it with a finger. I examined it closely. What made this man so important, I mused. Was it his blood or his huge frame? Maybe it was the fact that he is a man and I am not. Rosalie and I had been intimate, yes. But I had develeped feelings for her long ago. In a time where her skin flushed with blood at any lude comment I made. When her warmth bled into my skin.

Those times were much simpler.

Heat rolled up my body and I clenched my fists. I knew she was not my mate and yet I allowed feelings. I shook my head.

Feelings are the one thing that can kill the dead.

Rosalie's frantic voice could still be heard upstairs. She fired off questions at Carlisle with a fiery determination. Would he turn? Was that enough venom? Why isn't he screaming? I rolled my eyes and stood up, quickly wiping the blood from my finger.

"I guess I should dispose of the blood before they get back," I murmured.

The blood smeared as I wiped it with a towel, taunting me. I poured bleach on the floor and reveled in the sharp sting it gave my nostrils. This was much better.

I stood up slowly and turned to go outside and burn the towel.

I threw it on the ground and stared at it. It burst into flames seconds later. I **reveled** in it.

This felt like a funeral. The small fire, a symbol for the severing of my bond with Rosalie Hale. Her mate's screams and her soothing words echoed in my ears. They painted everything gray and black. Adding brown and blue to make the occasion more painful.

What a world this is.

I growled quietly planning to take my leave before he awoke as a vampire. Now that Rosalie had found her mate she wouldn't need me anymore. I didn't know whether to be happy or vexed by this. I decided on both.

But where would I go? I didn't have an answer. I was already in hell anyway. I could feel the fire in my chest building with ferocity as I stared at the treeline. I wanted to burn something. Anything.

I ran into the forrest at top speed. Animals scurried away as I growled, knocking down trees with my mind. The Phoenix inside me was bending the bars of her cage.

For so long I have kept a tight shackle on her. I have scolded her and wished her away.

Today I beckoned her forth and begged her to become one with me. I wanted to see the world burn at my feet.

I never understood just why she chose to tie herself to my soul. Why did this being chose my consciousness to hold this power? Now I know why.

As I come to the middle of a clearing I fall to my knees. I can feel it coming. I can feel her power. _Let go,_ she whispers.

I do exactly that.

I can feel my eyes become overcast with blackness. I know there is no white in sight.

The pressure inside boils over and releases.

Suddenly, everything is slow motion. I can see birds trying to fly away. Butterflies flapping their wings. And then **carnage.**

Trees rip from their roots violently and then disintegrate. The grass burns brightly and I just stay there on my knees smiling. As the Phoenix takes over my mind and becomes one I laugh maniacally. One would assume I was insane.

I understand why she chose me. Not just anyone could have handled all of the lives I have lived. All of the pain and torture. Not many would have escaped with their sanity intact.

I feel better than I have in thousands of years. No control. No Rosalie. Just the flames of hell warming my flesh.

Why did I fight her?

Why not burn?


	8. Civil RightsReturn

**Sorry for the late update. I have a lot of stories. My mind is a maze. Enjoy:)**

I walked down the street with my head high behind the other crowds of people. All them were so brave and noble in their cause.

The equality of the races. Civil rights.

When I caught wind of the movement I knew what I had to do.

I had experienced slavery firsthand. These descendants of my family had not but I knew they were still experiencing something akin to it. The Jim Crowe law was inhumane and prejudice at best. So I decided that it was a good opportunity to get away from the Cullens for a while. Their fearful eyes had followed me after I returned home from my little outburst. I could not handle bother to reassure them so I left back to the south. It was worse than I thought.

 _"You can't be sittin' here. Whites only," a older white man drawled. I looked him in the eye and him feel my aura full force. His eyes widened and his heart pumped in fear. The sound was delectable. I turned away swiftly and moved to the back of the bus. I would see the end of this bigotry and hatred._

Martin Luther King Jr. was a kind and noble man. I can't say that I would have been in his situation. The death threats he received were quite extensive. I would have had reveled in their blood like the demon that I am.

He preached well. The charisma he exuded was copious and all encompassing. I sat in his church just listening to him often. Even though his religion was a farce I applauded his devotion and faith. I had met his "savior". Word of his teachings got around relatively fast in those days. Turns out he was a cult leader. Needless to say, the man didn't rise on the third day. He rotted in the ground like all humans do. I would not tell Dr. King Jr. this of course. It would only lead to outrage. Religion is a powerful tool.

I followed him throughout his movements. Never once did I harm a human. I stayed low key and to myself. I'd catch his eye every now and then. He'd would only nod in my direction silently. A wise man needs no words.

When he died, retribution crossed my mind many times. I knew the men who orchestrated his death. I could smell them at the scene. His words of wisdom flowed through mind and I thought better of it. They would recieve what they had coming. Don't we all?

\--1985--

I couldn't go back to the Cullens. Instead, I went back to my family, The Volturi. I knew that my seat on the throne would always be opened and waiting for my return. My family ready to welcome me back with welcoming arms.

As I walked into the building, I noticed a human sitting at a desk. She looked at me with confusion wrought in her expression. I walked towards her with a blank expression.

Her smell was quite delicious but I assumed she was meant to be left alive for a short time.

"Hello, I am Enyo. Are the kings in," I asked plainly. Her eyebrows rose into her hairline and I rolled my eyes.

"Yes, Mistress! They are here. They rarely leave the castle," she squeaked. It was my turn to be surprised now. Much had changed since I had left it seems.

"Thank you, young one. We will speak again," I said with a wink. Her face brightened with a blush and I walked away smirking. Humans are so easy.

As I walked through the throne room doors all of the vampires turned their heads in my direction. They looked exactly the same. I had expected as much but why not change wardrobes throughout the years? I, for one, dressed with the times. I looked much like a rock and roll chick with an alcohol problem. It helped me intermingle into human society quite easily.

A few of the newer vampires growled at me as I walked towards the brothers and my beautiful throne. Cauis snapped at them in return.

"Shut your insolent mouths. She is the queen you idiots," he hissed. I chuckled at him. We had come to be more like siblings since the first time we met. He was quite brilliant.

"Sister, you have returned to us," Aro said fancifully. I smiled at him. He hadn't changed at all.

"Yes, brother. I have tired of human politics and prejudice. I've come back to reclaim my throne," I said with a smirk. The brothers grinned maniacally. They knew what that entailed all too well. Once word got around, I would revel in the smell of their fear.

It seemed the brothers were having a problem with a coven in England. One of the members had found his mate in a human and had yet to turn the poor girl. They were human drinkers as well. I pondered the boy's control as we awaited their arrival.

I also wondered why I had yet to find a mate in all my years of living and yet almost everyone else had one. Even the brothers had their mates and a few of the guards. It wasn't that I lacked sexual encounters. I had plenty of vampires and humans that wanted me but I was rather picky. Felix and Heidi were the only two that I felt worthy enough to fill the slot. They would have to do for a while.

I thought about Aro's shield for a moment. Renata was shy and introverted even as a vampire. She spent most of her time alone or shadowing my brother. She intrigued me. I would notice her subtle glances toward me. Her eyes burning into the back of my head. It was interesting but it would have to wait. I have duties to attend to.

As the coven walked into the throne room I studied them closely from my throne.

There were five vampires and human girl. The first two were females. One was tall and statuesque with long raven hair. I guessed her age at about 26. She reminded me of one the bodies I had inhabited once.

The second was a blonde woman with shorter hair. It was in a high pony tail at the back of her head. She was shorter and more stocky than the first. By the way she stayed close to the other woman, I assumed they were mates.

The next two were a female and male. The female looked identical to the first woman but her hair was shorter and curly. She held hands with a tall red haired man with a majestic beard. I was always intrigued by vampires with beards. I smirked.

The last three caught my attention. The vampires were a male and a female. The female had long blonde hair that curled magestically. It was long and fell in waterfalls over her shoulders. She was tall and built strong. Her eyes were steely. Somebody didn't wanna be here, I mused.

The boy was tall and had dark hair pulled back into a bun. It was much like mine but mine was longer. His face was pained and angry as he pulled his human along beside him. He reminded me of Edward but not quite. This vampires aura was dark and ominous. I scowled at him from my throne. I itched to burn him to ashes.

My eyes flicked to the human at his side suddenly as her heart picked up speed. My nose flared suddenly and I held back a moan. Goddess, she smelled like peppermint and vanilla. My fangs came down silently and Ilicked them unconsciously.

The girl had long red hair that curled wildly. It spilled down her shoulders and back like blood and flames. Her wild green eyes flicked about the room like she was looking for an escape route. The boy at her side held her hand dominatingly making me want to growl.

I stared ashamedly as they came to stand in front of me. I only had eyes for the girl. Her entire being called to me like a siren. I had experienced my singers before but this girl was different. As I inhaled her scent I noticed that that uncomfortable feeling in my throat was not present. I felt at peace. It was not her blood that sung to me it was her entire being.

"Dear friends, I'm sure you know why we have called you here today," Aro said dramatically. The raven haired model stepped forward solemnly.

"Yes Aro, we planned to change her when she was at least 23," she said pleasantly. I raised a brow at her. The girl looked old enough. About 20. Aro seemed to think the same. His eyes flicked to the boy.

"Johnathan, come. I would like to get the full story." Aro extended his hand slowly toward him. The boy looked ready run. I watched him closely as his eyes widened. He felt guilt and fear.

"Aro, he's hiding something," I said calmly. His coven members looked at me in confusion and then unadulterated fear. I smirked at them devilishly. The human turned her eyes toward me suddenly and our eyes connected.

Lightening shot through my body and I felt like I was seeing the sun for the first time. My heart stuttered in my chest. Everything made sense. All of the years of pain and fear. All of the lost loves and heartbreaks. They all vanished. A growl built in my chest as her eyes widened. I could feel that she felt the connection. As she stepped toward me the boy pulled her back.

It took everything to remain seated.

"Come, Johnathan. Time is precious," Aro said with a sidelong glance at me. I calmed down and took deep breaths. I wanted my mate and I wanted her now.

The boy stepped forward hesitantly and took Aro's hand. My brother closed his eyes and watched the scenes of the boys life play through silently. Suddenly, Aro throws the boys hand away and growls violently. I frown heavily. Cauis and Marcus shift in their thrones.

"Restrain them," Aro growls. Felix and Demetri are on Johnathan like lightning. The rest of the coven growls and try to run but are detained quickly buy the other guards.

The boy growls and thrashing violently against them to no avail. My mate watches on with an indifferent expression. I smile slightly at this. She doesn't care for them.

"Sister, the boy has been keeping the girl against her will. He has been setting her free and hunting her. Once he catches her he feeds from her partially and then locks her up," Aro explains finally. My eyes flash with rage and fire burns at my fingertips.

"Bring them forward." My voice is deadly calm and menacing. These people will die today. I don't care about anything but avenging my mate. When they are in front of me I glare down at them with fury. They plead in vain.

"I don't care what you have to say. You are sentenced to death for the torture you've caused my mate. _Cinis Cinerem."_

The guard step back as they burst into flames. I ignore the gasps from everyone at my statement and I watch in awe as the coven turns to ashes in front of my eyes. The Phoenix grins maniacally.

A sigh brings my eyes to my mate. She is smiling at me. My heart warms like kindling in my chest. I stand swiftly and stride toward her. My smile is uncontrolled.

As I take her hand she looks nervous.

"My mate, I have waited eons and eons for you to come to me," I said softly. Her face shows confusion and I smile softly.

"A mate for a vampire is The One. There will never be able to love another. You encompass everything. Personally, I don't believe in love at first sight but I am willingly to get to know you."

Her eyes widen and she smirks at me.

"I don't either but I am willing to do anything to keep someone as majestic as you."

My eyebrows shot up in surprise. This human has been through hell and yet she has room from flirtation. I inwardly swoon. The universe is not so cruel as to send me a mate that is weak.

"In that case, let us start over. My name is Ashtan. It is a pleasure to meet you.." I trail off. Her lips pull into a beautiful smile and I feel myself wrapping around her delicate finger.

"My name is Victoria."

 ** _Cinis Cinerem_ is roughly translated to Ashes to Ashes in Latin. I hope y'all like the pairing!**


	9. History

**-o0o-**

My mate is a specimen of perfection.

Everything about her reminds me of better times. Back when technology was in its infancy. When I painted the night in the blood of my prey. She is literally a manifestation of those days. Her magenta hair falls around her face like a crown of red roses dripping blood. She makes me hungry.

Her teeth are currently buried in her fifth meal of the evening. The human man has long since stopped squirming and even breathing. He died with a nice little smile on his face, courtesy of my Victoria. I couldn't be mad at him at all, seeing as I'm barely keeping my composure.

Suddenly, my arms are full of happy newborn. "You aren't hungry, Ash? I feel bad for eating in front of you."

I shook my head and smiled at her as we made our way back to the castle. I was in awe of her control. I know she can smell the humans bustling throughout the city. However, she only clings to me tightly, inhaling my scent.

"No, I don't need to feed as much as you and thank the goddess for that. I'm starting to think that you're a cold one in spirit."

Victoria made a sound of disgust and I laughed heartily. "If that's what you think I need to get myself under control. They're like walking dead bodies...Well, they _are_ walking dead bodies," she said, scrunching her face up.

"Don't say that in front of my brothers. They might take offense and I'll have to kill them in your honor," I laughed, running a hand through her hair.

Once inside our room, I felt at peace being alone with my mate. Thinking about it now, in all my years I've never been more comfortable with anyone in my life. I remember almost giving up on this immortal journey because I felt so alone. Now, I'm happy no matter what situation. As long as my mate is happy.

My lips curl as Victoria strips her shirt over her head. I could smell the little drops of blood that had spilled onto it. My eyes were glued to her pale back. My fingers longed to tickle across her skin. Memories of her change came to mind. Although we promised each other to go slow in our relationship, she wasn't having it after she woke up.

"I want to know something," Victoria said, coming to straddle my hips. I hummed, running my hands over her soft thighs. She bit her lip. "Tell me about where you come from. You never told me."

"You never told me where you come from either. Although, I already know," I deflected. I didn't expect to feel such sorrow sweep over me. I miss my brother, my best friend, even after all these years. Victoria cocked her eyebrow at me. "You're from England. The accent is nice, although you'll have to perfect the American accent sooner than later."

She just stared at me, seeing right through my little ploy. I sighed and sat up on the bed, wrapping my arms around her slender frame. Having her close made me feel so much better.

"I cannot tell you why I was chosen for this path but I do know one thing. I've been born many times. The first time was before any sort of civilization. There was no language or time for anything but survival. I did not have a name. However, the second time was the beginning of my life," I said quietly, looking her in the eyes. Victoria was already entranced and she nudged me to continued.

"I was born Asha Khaldun. It means Asha The Immortal. I wanted to ask my mother if she knew anything but she died before I could. My father was a Pharoah. Arak Tarik. After my mother died, he went mad. The entirety of Egypt was in ruins when I finally decided to end him. He thanked me in the end.

When I ascended to the throne, I took many wives. Back then, sexuality was not something set in stone. In many ways, modern times are unnatural. Anyway, my rule was just and Egypt thrives under my sure hand.

After the third year of my rule a vampire visited my throne room with an army of cold ones. He killed my childhood friends and set me on my path of destruction. Only in recent centuries have I slowed down enough to see passed the rage. You've helped me even more with only your presence in my life. I cannot be more happy that you are my mate."

Victoria looked at me softly, caressing my face with her gentle hands. She swiped a tear out from under my eye and I was a bit surprised. I don't remember the last time a shed a tear. She sprinkled kisses all over my face, making me smile.

"I am lucky to have you. You are so strong and powerful, but so gentle and patient with me. I can only hope to share a modicum of your strength," she whispered, combing her fingers through my wild hair. I closed my eyes in bliss. "What do you miss about Egypt? Do you ever want to go there again?"

I sighed as the memories came flashing in again. "I miss the feeling of the sand under my feet. The strong winds caressing my skin. The smiling faces of the people, their hands reaching toward me with love. Hetap, my brother, smiling at me. I will go back one day, with you by my side."

Victoria's lips pressed against my own suddenly and I moaned into her mouth. She pushed me back into the bed gently, her hands wandering all over my skin. Nothing can compare to being intimate with your mate. The sparks course through my skin, the fire building below my waist.

"Maybe we should see if the brothers need anything before-" I joked, only to have a finger pressed against my lips. Her eyes were completely black and oozing with lust. I bite my lip hard.

"Less talking."

 _Yes ma'am._


	10. Weird

**-o0o-**

I sat in the corner of the room watching with fascination as my mate tried to fight Felix. Seeing as he is twice her size, it was quite amusing. However, what I was watching was how amazing she fought. It seemed as though she knew every move he would make. With every swipe or grab, she answered it with her own punch or escaped completely.

Jane and Demetri were not amused by this. Mainly because they had been pummeled by Felix when they were newborns. They knew what it was like to have those huge fists beating them into the ground. The way things were going right now, Victoria would never have to know. Although I would have his head before one of his fists punch touched her flawless skin.

" _What the fuck,"_ Felix cursed in Italian. He turned to me, looking thoroughly frustrated. "What have you been teaching her, Mistress?"

I ran my eyes over my mate with a smirk. Not anything about combat. "This is all natural Felix. I do believe my little mate has a gift but I would like to test it out first."

Felix bowed to me as I stalked toward Victoria. She just stood there looking rather pleased with herself. "You're going to fight me? I don't stand a chance," she said, backing away.

I removed my leather jacket casually, cracking my knuckles. "Look, I just need to see what's going on. A newborn should be an easy target but you aren't being beaten. I want to see if you have a gift," I said softly. I didn't want to scare my little mate but I really wanted this fight. It's been a while.

She nodded hesitantly, crouching down into position. I beckoned her forward slightly and braced myself when came careening towards me. I extended my mind to hers but I couldn't feel anything out of the normal yet. Once she was in arms length, I moved at lightning speed, trying to grab her.

To my utter surprise, she ducked under my arms and slid behind me. A strange thing happened in her mind. It was almost like a voice telling her what to do or intuition. I grinned like a predator. It seems my mate is more than worthy. The universe smiles upon me.

She tried to wrap her arm around my neck and I let her do it. Her grip wasn't as tight as I suspected which would be her undoing. I pretended to grab for her head before changing my mind and grabbing her arm. I flipped her over my shoulder and put my foot on her neck firmly.

"What did you feel when you were fighting Felix? Was it a voice or a feeling? Something telling you how to get away," I asked in a commanding tone.

Victoria squirmed under my boot before nodding. No doubt, the desire to escape was overwhelming. "Yes, it's like I knew what to do to avoid being harmed. My body acted on its own."

I hummed, taking my foot off her throat. I began to wonder if Aro could see where this gift came from. Maybe it came from the times when that stupid teenage vampire and his coven hunted her? Victoria wrapped herself around me again but I pushed her away gently. We had to get her trained even if she had a gift.

"I apologize, V. You need to be indestructible if you're to be my mate. I don't plan on you having any weak points. Felix, Jane, Demetri," I said, moving to the door. Victoria glared at me but she would appreciate this later. Tough love is still love. "If she comes back to me with any marks that I didn't put on her myself, I'll have your heads on a platter... and no gifts Jane!"

"Yes, Mistress," they chorused. I could hear the smiles on their lips as I walked out the door.

Already, the banging around could be heard from afar. I decided on running to the throne room after a moment. The urge to run back and kill them was much too strong.

"You are better than me sister. If Sulpicia was in your mate's situation there would be nothing left of this castle," Aro said, laughing. 

I gripped the arms of my throne hard as a loud bang sounded in the distance. Caius snickered beside me, thoroughly amused by my new mating instincts. I glared at him angrily. I don't remember them training their own mates. 

"Victoria will be stronger for it. She may hate me for a day or two but all I have to do is take off my clothes. She'll forget about it. Hell, she probably won't even be harmed," I said flippantly, hoping I was right. "She has a gift. It's like an exaggerated form of instinct. Felix couldn't even touch her."

The brothers looked at me oddly. 

"That is powerful. Is it a voice or..," Aro asked with a thoughtful expression. 

"She said her body reacts on its own, but I would like for you to read her when she is done. I want to know where it came from," I said. Aro nodded slowly with a grin, most likely ready to see into my mates mind. 

A scream echoed through the castle like a siren going off. I almost jumped off my throne but it wasn't my mate's scream. 

"Sister, I suggest that you go retrieve your mate. It sounds like Jane just lost an arm," Marcus said slowly. My eyes went wide as saucers and I flitted out of the room quickly. 

When I got to the room I hesitated to go inside. I could hear them fussing over Jane. I could hear Victoria apologizing profusely as well. I burst into the room casually, preparing for what I was about to see. I wasn't expecting to see Felix and Demetri putting Jane's arm back on. 

They looked at me in surprise, which was odd. "What happened?"

Victoria glared at me and remained silent. I have to admit, it hurt my feelings. But... it also turned me on to see her so murderous. I couldn't help but smirk as the images came to my mind. 

"Victoria got a little carried away when our little Jane started taunting her. She may have said something about our past," Felix said, trying to hide his grin. 

My heart dropped and I shook my head slowly. From the look on Jane's face I was looking anything but nice. 

"I can understand her anger. Jane, that was unacceptable. From now on, you will be on newborn duty for Victoria. If you say anything else of consequence, it will be your legs that will be removed next. Do you understand?"

She whimpered as her skin began to stitch itself back together. "Yes, Mistress. I apologize," she whined. I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. Maybe V and I won't get to do anything after. No doubt it hit her hard to hear about me with someone else. 

"How did she do?"

Demetri laughed aloud, patting Victoria on the back. "You've got yourself a fighter, Mistress. We got some hits on her but she took it in stride. She even slammed me a few times!"

My smile split my cheeks as I looked at my mate. Her glare softened a bit. I stride over to her and touched her arm softly. 

"I'm proud of you," I said quietly, checking her over for any marks. When I found none, I wrapped my arms around her. "Do you want to go have a drink?"

Victoria sighed, relaxing against me finally. She couldn't resist blood. "Of course, I'm starving already. I also need to talk to you alone," she said, pulling me from the room quickly. I could clearly hear Felix and Dem laughing. 

Once in the alley, she wasted no time taking down a homeless man beside the dumpsters. I honestly appreciated her doing that. The man was older and his depression was thick around him like a shroud. None of us wanted to end him because we his blood wouldn't have been healthy enough. Victoria didn't seem to care. She keep sucking well after he was a husk. 

"Tori, sweetheart, you should probably get rid of the body now.."

She whipped around angrily, holding the man's lifeless body in her hands. It was clear that she was in her beast. The sound of tiny footsteps turning onto the alley made me whip around. Behind us stood a young girl, about seven years old. Her hair was long and brown, tied up in a ponytail. For some reason she was smiling at us. Even though Victoria was positively growling at her. 

I flitted over to my mate, quickly wrenching the dead man out of her hands and throwing him into the dumpster. I wrapped my arms around her, surrounding her with love. As I suspected, the beast inside her calmed enough to see the little girl as more than a second meal. She went slack in my arms. 

I pulled her towards the little girl gently, making sure to keep enough distance away. The girl was transfixed, staring at us with all the innocence of a child. I couldn't help smiling at her. I didn't care that my fangs were poking through. For such a small human, I have to admit that she smelled like more than one human. The strength of it almost made me step back. 

"Hi, may I ask your name child," I asked kindly, bending down to her level. She nodded slowly, continuing to stare. 

"I'm Isabella but mom calls me Bella and sometimes Bells but I like Bella," she rushed out, blushing heavily. 

To my surprise, Tori was completely calm despite her delectable scent. She seemed to be in just as much awe as Bella. 

"Where is your mom? You shouldn't be wandering about little one," she said, grabbing her hand gently. My heart warmed at the scene. Seeing my wild mate so tame did something to me. 

"I don't know. I lost her in the crowd. I was behind her but the people were walking really really fast into the castle and I couldn't keep up because my legs are short. Mom says that means I'm gonna grow really fast when I'm older."

My eyes widened and so did Victoria's. We knew exactly what that meant. It was time for Heidi to bring in the meals. Victoria looked back at me quickly before picking up the little girl. I flitted past her quickly, bolting into the hidden entrance of the castle. I ran through the halls swiftly, passing lower guard members without a care. 

When I finally made it into the throne room, Heidi was just about to burst in. 

"Stop," I said quietly, making sure the humans didn't hear. 

She stopped immediately and the brothers gave me an odd look. I just gave them a serious glance before walking through the doors. The people looked gobsmacked, which I didn't care about. My nose sniffed the air, trying to find Bella's scent on one of the humans. 

When I came to a young woman with reddish brown hair, I stopped in my tracks. I could smell the little girl on her. I turned back toward the doors and stood in front of the group to make an announcement. 

"We've gotten a report of a missing child. Everyone make sure that you have your children with you at this moment. If you do not then please exit," I said in a commanding tone. 

The woman looked around frantically, snapping out of the daze that Heidi had her in. I always felt pity for the people led into the throne room. They never stood a chance. The woman ran out of the castle calling the little girl's name at the top of her lungs. 

"What the hell was that about," Heidi whispered, giving the humans another dose of allure to sedate them again. I licked my teeth a bit as it flooded through me as well. All it really did was make me hungry...and horny. 

"Tori and I found a little girl outside nAmes Bella. You know how I feel about children. I couldn't let her mother be eaten," I said, before flitted away. "Leave us two of the males!"

Once I made it back into the alley, I quickly jumped into the roof. I wasn't expecting to see Victoria and the mother talking over the child. I wasn't expecting Victoria to have the strength to talk to a human at all. Bella stood there fidgeting around, eyes flicking everywhere. 

"Thank you so much for taking care of Bella. She tends to run off when I'm paying attention," the woman said adamantly. Victoria smiles at her and shook her head. 

"It was my pleasure, Reneé. She is a very smart little girl indeed. I must be on my way. I'm on night shift here at the museum." I chuckled quietly at her blatant lie. Reneé's eyes widened and she quickly grabbed the little girl's hand. 

"I apologize! We have to be on our way as well. My boyfriend is probably wracking his brain, wondering where we are."

My eyebrows furrowed as Bella grabbed my mate's hand. "Will I ever see you again? And your friend. Where is she?"

I bit my lip and tried not to laugh as Victoria stammered. I jumped down from the roof top, landing silently behind them. I made a bit of noise walking towards them, causing them to turn around. Renée's eyes widened and the little girl smiled big, waving at me. 

"You two should get back to your hotel. It is rather dark outside now and I don't want anything to happen to you," I said kindly. I wasn't really talking to the mother. 

"Will I see you again? Mom says we're leaving tomorrow but that means I won't see you guys again _ever_ ," Bella said, looking very sad. My lips twitched and I gave Tori a discreet glance. She kneeled down and took the girl's hand. 

"Yes, we will see you again. And if we don't," she trailed off, pulling her necklace off. 

I stood gobasmacked. She hadn't taken it off since she arrived in Volterra for the first time. It was Celtic knot in the shape of an anchor. From the way she insisted on wearing it, it had sentimental meaning. However, she placed it around Bella's neck without losing her soft smile. 

"If we don't see you again, you'll have us with you all the time. My mother gave me that necklace and her mother before her. Now it's yours, little one."

She looked at us with a big smile before hugging my mate tight.

"Thank you, Victoria! I don't know your friends name though..."

She turned towards me sheepishly and I understood why. I'm much more intimidating than my mate. No matter how wild she may look. I kneeled down and beckoned her forth. Bella bounded towards me without hesitating any longer. I wrapped my arms around her as gently as possible. 

"You can call me Ashtan, little one. Now you two run along," I said, wrapping my arm around my mate's waist. 

We watched them walk out of the alley, the little girl waving all the way. She was rather odd for a human. There was no instinct to flee. Even her mother's heart was beating hard talking to my mate. But Bella didn't seem to notice the predatory aura we give off. 

"That is one odd girl but I have a good feeling about her," Victoria said, wrapping her arms around my neck. I nodded slowly, still trying to figure out what was going on with her. "You're still not off the hook about what happened earlier. No sex for..hmm..two days."

I groaned in annoyance. Four days feels like two centuries with no sex. "How will I get through _four days?_ I have court for the next week!"

She walked away from me, swaying her hips seductively. My fangs dropped with a click and I was very hungry all of a sudden. 

"You have two hands."


	11. Planes

**-o0o-**

I stared out of the window at the clouds, pondering how fun it would be to jump out and land in the ocean. Victoria shook beside me. I tried not to laugh. I didn't want to hurt her precious feelings. Planes are much too fragile to survive her wrath.

We had been on here a whole hour and she hadn't stopped fidgeting around. Before we even left the castle she was trying to explain how meeting the Cullens wasn't as important to her as it was to me. She tried to bribe me with sex and visits to low end brothels. Once I realized that she was afraid of planes it was easy to turn her delectable offer down.

I love watching her squirm.

"I take it you've never been on a plane," I commented carefully. Victoria nudged me in the ribs discretely, causing me to grunt.

"Yes and I don't plan to get on one again. Why couldn't we just swim? Or get on a fucking boat," she whispered, clearly annoyed.

"Because planes are faster. I may be as old as dirt but you trump me with your aversion to technology."

"Yeah, well if this plane goes down I'm kicking your ass all the way to Washington."

"If we live."

Victoria glared at me visciously. I stared back her challengingly, trying not to grin at her adorable murderous rage. She looked away from me with huff. I almost felt like a jackass but I love seeing her angry. She's like a lion cub.

"Old hag," Victoria muttered under her breath. I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and smiled lovingly.

"Bitch."

 **-o0o-**

"Come on! I'm hungry! You're walking like a damned human!"

I sighed and allowed Victoria to literally pull me through the airport like an unruly child. The humans around us stared at us like we were moving Greek statues. I smiled at a few of them out of amusement and watched their jaws drop open. I'd like to say it never gets old but it does after a couple hundred years.

"Really? You're into humans now? I'll never be enough for you," Victoria whined sarcastically. I burst out laughing. She was so happy to be off the plane. "They can have you. You can't even walk without help."

"And you can't even ride a simple plane without shaking like a leaf. Oh and I can walk. You just have a fire under your ass for no reason," I quipped distractedly, looking around for Carlisle.

"I'm ready to fulfill this weird fantasy you have of me meeting these Cullens. What do you expect to happen? An orgie? What's so special about animal drinkers? I'm cringing as we speak."

"Oh shut up, Tori. Your mouth is just for me until I decide otherwise," I grumbled distractedly. Victoria chuckled under her breath.

A glimpse of blonde hair caught my eye and a smile spread over my lips. I could smell his odd, sickly sweet scent. To my surprise, he seemed to be alone. I pulled Tori towards him quickly, wading through the sea of humans reuniting with their family and friends.

Carlisle looked exactly the same of course. Like a god carved out of pure marble. I could feel his beautiful aura surrounding me with love and happiness.

I did always enjoy his presence. He was like a son to me even when he played a father figure. I gripped Victoria's hand tightly. My exciting mounted. I had not realized how happy I was for Carlisle and his family to meet my mate.

"Ashtan, you look absolutely vibrant," Carlisle said kindly. I rolled my eyes and pulled him into a hug immediately. Once I pulled away, Carlisle reached out to shake Tori's hand. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Victoria."

Victoria looked nervous but she conceded. She shook his hand firmly and immediately retreated back to my side.

"It's a pleasure to meet you too," Victoria said quietly.

I had forgotten she was still young in her vampirism, that her instinct was still high. Being around a male cold one agitated her. I wrapped my arm around her waist to comfort her. It was almost comical how she clung to me. Carlisle smiled apologetically.

"Well, you ladies follow me. Esme and the family are excited to meet your new mate. Rosalie especially," Carlisle said. I cleared my throat in discomfort and Victoria raised her eyebrows at me.

"Who is Rosalie? One of your changlings? Why is she so curious to meet me?"

I glared at the back of Carlisle's head as we made our way to his vehicle. I knew he could feel my irritation at him. He hesitated to answer my mates question.

"She is one of my daughters, yes. Rose and your mate were...good friends at one point and she was happy to know that Ashtan has found her true mate," Carlisle said carefully. I almost couldn't hold in my laughter.

Victoria gave me a look like "he better be telling the truth". I put my head down and hoped that Rosalie wasn't in a bad mood today. I doubt Victoria will like her very much.

 **-o0o-**

I was impressed when we finally got to the house. It was much different than it had been almost thirty years ago. The futuristic vibe of the architecture threw me off slightly. It made me realize just how fast humans were changing.

I like to think that I am progressive, but after seeing so many eras of human civilization this new era was going to be best. I could already tell with the new advancements of technology and computer science. The moon landing would be nothing in comparison to what I would be witnessing very soon. The Voltaire castle really shielded me from society.

"Well, we ain't in Kansas anymore," Victoria mumbled as we collected our suitcases from the trunk. I gave her an understanding glance.

Before we could even make it inside, I was being ambushed. Emmett blocked view with his huge frame. I rolled my eyes at him as lifted me off my feet. We had been corresponding for a while and I did let go of my resentment towards him. He is hilarious and endearing. However, I hate being touched.

"Little queen! And little queen'a mate," he boomed. I growled quietly and he sat me down. Victoria was glaring at him furiously.

"Whoa, my bad. Let me just get the bags.."

"You do that. Can we go inside now? I need a cup of wine as soon as possible," I grumbled, pulling Tori into the weird house.

Instantly, the smell of cold ones tickled at the back of my throat. There were new smells but they were oddly familiar. I held onto Victoria's hand as we ascended the stairs. I could of sworn I could smell Jasper Whitlock. That scent of Texas dust and homemade sweet tea took me back to the days of the Civil war.

"Are you okay, Ash," Victoria asked quietly, squeezing my hand. I then realized that I had stopped on the stairs. Emmett was smiling behind me like he knew something.

"Yeah. I'm good."

We continued up the stairs and I smelled something else familiar. The salty waters of Biloxi tickled my nose mixed with the sweet taste of honey on my tongue. I became agitated and pulled Victoria towards the origin of the scent at vampire speed. I needed to see for myself what I already knew was going on.

Even still, my jaw dropped open when I saw them. Alive as vampires could be and looking at me warmly. What surprised me was Alice. She looked so much better. She wasn't malnourished and ghaunt. Her smile was brighter than I had ever seen it, eyes the color of honey. She didn't even look surprised. I wasn't expecting her to remember me.

"You kept us waiting long enough," Jasper said, smirking at me. I leaned against a confused Victoria and hid my face in her hair. This couldn't be real.

"What the hell is going on," she muttered in confusion. "Fucking cold ones."


	12. Nightlife

**-o0o-**

"I see you've finally found her. She looks better in person," Alice giggled excitedly. Victoria looked at her like she was missing her straight jacket but she enjoyed the praise.

"Thanks, pixie. You don't look so bad either," Victoria sniffed, leaning into my side. I rolled my eyes. It never failed. Anytime we were around other vampires she just had to lie on me. I didn't mind.

"I can't say I expected you to be here. Especially you, Major. I remember a gallant soldier underneath the thumb of a reeking bitch," I smiled at him. Jasper chuckled under his breath.

"After you had me kill her, Charlotte, Peter and myself went our separate ways. I had a callin'. Turns out it was my little darlin'. Seems like the same happened to you."

I nodded, wrapping my arm around Victoria. Suddenly I remembered that I hadn't introduced her properly.

"Excuse my rudeness. Tori, these are the Cullens. That's Rosalie, Emmett, Edward, Esme, Alice and Jasper. You already know Carlisle. Everyone, this is my difficult mate. I met her only a year ago and she is almost through her newborn year."

They said their greetings and I listened as Esme asked Victoria questions about her human life. It seemed like she was apprehensive at first but she loosened up soon enough. I caught Rosalie's eye and saw her looking at Victoria critically. I wondered what that was about.

"Hey, Rose. Can we catch up for a second," I asked casually.

She looked angry but nodded slightly, disappearing outside. I told Victoria I would be back and followed her. I remembered how I left the family and it wasn't the kindest way to leave by far, but I had to do what was best for me. I felt bad for hurting Rosalie the most.

I found her sitting on a fallen tree. The sun was setting behind her. The dim light illuminating her golden hair. I remember being in awe at her beauty. But now, she just looks like a woman. Even more, a sister that I've annoyed. I can't help but laugh at the thought.

Her head snapped toward me instantly.

"You think this is funny? Popping up after running off to the Volturi for a half a century with a mate of all things. You never even wrote us," she scolded me. I nearly flinched at her cold tone.

"Rose, I apologize. You don't understand what it was like to see _you_ with a new mate. All of a sudden I wasn't needed anymore."

I sat down beside Rosalie and took her hands in mind. They were colder than mine but still soft and familiar. She looked away from me, the emotion behind her eyes was obvious. I squeezed them and continued.

"If I'm honest, I never really felt like a part of this family and you and Carlisle were my only reasons for staying. After I lost you, I had nothing keeping me there.

I could have handled it better. I should have spoken to you and let you know that I was hurt. I should have done a lot of things. But...it worked out for the best," I finished, smiling as Victoria came to mind.

Rosalie arched a brow at me. Whatever anger that was there before seemed to have evaporated into thin air. She gripped my hands gently.

"She doesn't look like your type."

I raised my brows at her, not sure that if she was serious. I laughed when I noticed the curl of her lip.

"Just because she isn't a blonde doesn't mean she isn't my type. Whoever said I only liked blondes?"

"You didn't have to say it, Ashtan. I mean, have you heard what they say about redheads," Rosalie said sarcastically. We chuckled together for a moment before silence reigned between us.

"Is she really the one..?"

"There is no doubt in my mind," I said reverently, looking her in the eye.

Rosalie clenched her eyes shut for only a moment before wrapping her arms around me. I exhaled deeply, feeling a weight fall away from my shoulders. I had my family again. I had my mate. I had everything that I had never had before. It is funny how far I've come in only one short century.

"I'm proud of you," Rosalie said as we pulled away. I nudged her in the gut and jumped away as she tried to kick me.

"Oh shut up. Can we stop with the sentiments for the night? I'd rather piss you off."

"That's what you do best."

I smiled as Victoria jumped on my back, stumbling from the force of it. She peppered kisses on my cheek, making me blush.

"Wow, the Phoenix blushes? I've never seen that before," Rosalie laughed at me. I grumbled and took off into the woods with my mate hanging onto me like a monkey. "No hunting humans..and be safe!"

"Yeah, yeah."

"Hey, don't be mad baby. I thought you liked bunnies and rodents," Victoria teased. I grumbled and tossed her off my back easily.

"Yeah right. We're going to Seattle."

 **-o0o-**

As soon as I set foot in the city all of those loving, family oriented vibes left me immediately. The bustling streets, the lights, the people called me forth the creature inside of me. I had nearly forgotten what I was after having all of my meals brought to me for the past fifty years.

"This is so much better than Volterra. There's so many options," Victoria purred. I smirked, watching her seek out her chosen victim. She reminded me of a lioness.

We came to a small club with neon lights flashing upon the sign. We walked into the dark place and felt the animalistic desire flowing off of the humans. They danced and drank and laughed, unaware of the predators in their midst. Victoria licked her lips and gave me a look I knew all to well.

"I know. Now let's find a meal or two. You know the drill."

Victoria grinned and disappeared out of sight. I could see her flaming hair as she waded through the crowds of humans. It looked like she had already spotted her meal. However, I am much more specific about my meals.

I sidled up to the bar and ordered a cup of red moscato to cleanse my pallet. By now it was a ritual for me.

"This one's on the house. You're probably the first to order wine here," the woman said smoothly. "I'm Jules by the way."

I sipped my wine, never taking my eyes off of her. The way her lips curled upward and her eyes followed my lips said a myriad of things. Even if I couldn't smell her slight arousal and hear her heart pick up, I could tell she wanted me. Instead of thanking her and showing interest, I decided to test her.

"You gave me the most expensive wine on the shelf for free...Were you expecting to get something out of me Jules? Like sex," I asked seriously.

Jules sputtered like I had accused her some abominable crime. I couldn't hold back my laugh. She calmed down and chuckled with me, relieved to be out of the fire. As if she had blown some chance she thought she had. Humans and their pride.

"Hey! I need eight shots of Vodka," a drunken man yelled too loudly, leaning on the bar like he needed it to stand. I scrunched up my nose at his stench.

"Comin' right up, man," Jules said exasperatedly. She looked at me apologetically. "I'll be right back. Georgie takes his vodka serious."

I nodded and finished off my wine. When she turned around I was gone. No need to dilly dally around with the bartender. Although she smelled good but nothing to put attention on myself for. She seemed like a relatively nice girl as well. Not that it matters when it comes down to it.

"Hey, sexy lady! Nice ass!"

I gritted my teeth as a large hand grabbed my ass. I almost let my elbow come back and careen through his skull, cracking it open like a coconut. However, I felt like I had found my appetizer for the night.

I turned around and smiled at the drunken idiot. His height was disconcerting. He looked like Emmett but blonde and more chubby. When he saw my face, he seemed to become more drunk if that's even possible.

"Whoa, you're..fucking hot," the giant said, burping mid sentence. I kept my plastered on smile and caressed his arm.

"You wanna get outta here big guy," I purred, glamouring him into submission.

The man literally couldn't get his tongue to start working. He just nodded like a zombie. I took that as my queue to pull him into the bathroom. I couldn't keep the smirk off of my face as I pulled him into the stall, thanking the goddess that it was empty.

After these fifty odd years of being a vampire, I never got used to the euphoric feeling of succeeded in capturing my prey. I have yet to regret my choice to be turned.

"You're cold. Lemme warm you up," he slurred, trying to get his pants down.

"No, just kiss me," I said innocently, beckoning him with a finger.

As soon as he leaned down and closed his eyes, I was on him like a fly on shit. My fangs pierced into his jugular like a knife through butter. I growled and wrapped myself around him as he tried to get away from me. Liquid ambrosia overwhelmed my taste buds. A moan ripped through my chest. It had been a while since I'd last eaten.

"Whooo! You go dude," a man yelled as he was pulled into the stall beside me.

I ignored him and continued drinking my prey. He had stopped fighting already. His body was limp in my arms and his blood wasn't flowing with as much vigor. When I finally finished, I felt utterly vibrant. His blood alcohol level made my body sing in satisfaction.

"Thanks buddy," I whispered to his lifeless body. I shoved his wallet into my bra with a smile and kissed him on the cheek.

After I had washed the blood off my lips and I swiftly exited the bathroom, leaving his lifeless body sitting on the toilet. I made my way out of the club casually, ready to go back home and fuck my mate into submission.

A hand slid up my back and I smirked, thinking it was my mate. But when I turned around...

"Hey, um, I never got your name?"

Apparently Jules was on a smoke break. Just my luck. I stared at her blankly. _Do you really want to fucking die right now?_

"Who is this? You found a new girlfriend," Victoria asked as she prowled toward me. Instantly, I wrapped my arm around her waist and nipped at her neck.

"Oh! I didn't know you had a..a girlfriend. I'll just go.."

"Wait a sec," Victoria called, looking her up and down. I felt a bit bad for the girl. If Tori wanted her I wouldn't be able to save her.

"Follow us."

I leaned back against the wall, smoking one of Jule's cigarettes as my mate made out with the girl. I watched in fascination as their tongues danced together. Victoria pinned the girl against the brick wall and slipped her hand into her pants smoothly.

"Don't kill her, Tor," I called nonchalantly. Victoria turned toward me and beckoned me over.

"I would never steal your meal," she purred, pecking me on the lips. "Take her."

Jules looked like completely wasted but I could see the fear in her eyes. I tried my best to ignore it. I gripped her chin and kissed her. I dove into her neck and willed myself to drink but I couldn't. It felt wrong.

"What's wrong, Ash?"

I shook my head. "Let's just glamour her and go home. I can't do it," I subvoiced. Victoria raised her brows at me but I gave her a serious look. She threw up her hands.

"Alright, alright. I just wanted to see you feed," she laughed. I ignored her and focused on Jules.

"You will forget you ever met us," I said hypnotically, staring into her eyes. Her pupils dilated and she nodded slowly.

"Alright! Now let's go. I'm bursting soaking over here!"

I flirted over to Victoria and smacked her ass hard. "I bet you are, you slut. How was that guy in the bathroom?"

"He was okay at best," she said sarcastically. "Your moaning and groaning made it even better."

"Fuck you. You know I can't help it."

Victoria grinned lewdly and slung her arm around my waist.

"I'll take you up on that offer. Just you wait."


	13. Puppy Love

**-o0o-**

I moaned as Victoria bit into my neck. Her fangs pierced through my skin and sent a sharp feeling of euphoria through my body. I sunk my own into her shoulder instinctively. I never could get enough of her taste. It was sweet and tangy like a nicely aged wine.

I gripped her naked ass in my hands while she writhed on top of me. Her skin felt want against mine. Our bodies fit perfectly together like we were meant for each other. Of course we were. I've yet to get over the fact that I have her with me.

"I love you," I blurted out randomly. Victoria pulled away from me and licked my blood from her lips.

"I love you too," she replied, looking slightly confused. "You're never this lovey dovey. What's going on?"

The sound of footsteps coming up the stairs toward our room caught my ear. I slid out from under Victoria and put on a robe quickly. I had totally forgotten what we had done earlier. No doubt, they had smelled the human blood on use when we came in.

"Because the Cullen's are going to kill us before we can fuck again."

Just as I thought, a knock sounded at the door. I opened quickly to see Edward standing on the other side. He looked constipated and utterly uncomfortable with the fact that I was clearly naked under my plush robe. It cracked me up.

"What's up?"

"We would like to talk to you and your...mate downtstairs. There are a few details you need to know if you will staying here for an extended period of time," he said, voice straining. I looked back at Victoria and saw her putting her clothes on.

"Alright, we'll be down in a second," I said, shutting the door. I didn't like his tone.

"What do you think they want to talk about? Besides the slaughtering humans for food," Victoria asked. I shrugged and pulled my shirt over my head.

"I don't know. Hopefully nothing depressing."

When we sat down on the couch, everyone was already there. Weird. But I didn't feel any hostility coming from them. I sat quietly beside Victoria and waited for someone to speak.

"Ashtan, as you know we are vegetarians. I would appreciate if you and your mate refrained from hunting humans while you're here," Carlisle said kindly. I shook my head immediately.

"I can't do that. We aren't the same species Carlisle. Animal blood does nothing for our kind. Thus, we will hunt in Seattle. End of story," I said firmly. Victoria snickered beside me and I nudged her in the side.

Edward scowled at me looked away. I wondered what the hell his problem was. Everyone else didn't seem to care as much as he did.

"I meant no disrespect. I simply haven't had enough experience with more traditional vampires. However, I do have blood bags that I can spare," Carlisle explained. I smiled at him took his offer.

"That is fine. Now, was there something else we needed to speak about?"

"Actually, yes," Esme said. She looked almost nervous. I sat forward in my seat.

"There is...a group of werewolves that we have made a treaty with. The Quileute tribe detest us but because we feed from animals, they have remained cordial with us."

Victoria almost jumped out of her seat.

"What the bloody hell? Werewolves? Like full moon and walk on two feet werewolves," she exclaimed. I rolled my eyes at her.

"No, V. They're not werewolves. They're shapeshifters. They aren't as bad as you think. They were nice to me at least. Probably because I wasn't a vampire back then," I chuckled.

"Wait what? You met the dogs before we did," Emmett asked incredulously. Rosalie raised her brow at me, finally looking her from her magazine. I simply nodded.

"When was this encounter," Carlisle asked. I smiled, noticing his unending curiousity coming to surface. I love that about him.

"Well, it was around 200 A.C. I thought I was the first to set foot on a new land but I was utterly wrong. The natives ruled this place from what is now California, to the Florida peninsula.

They assumed I was a goddess and refused to believe otherwise. The Lady of Ashes, they called me. Anuk Sukkahn. I only stayed with them for a couple of years to help with their little vampire problem. After that, I went back east to Europe."

All of them were silent, just staring at me. Victoria looked shocked. Most likely disgusted that I would associate with such creatures. Or she was finally realizing just how old I actually am.

"Do you think they remember you," Alice asked. "If they do then maybe we could fix our relationship with them. They sorta hate our guts."

"Maybe...But they wouldn't remember my face. None of the elders I met are alive right now. Not to mention, I was a white woman at the time."

"Weird," Victoria said under her breath.

"No way. Those dogs are unpredictable," Rosalie sneered. My brows shot up. Now I have to talk to them.

"Blondie's right. I don't wanna kill a puppy but I'll do it," Victoria grumbled, crossing her arms. _Yep, I gotta meet these people._

"Set up a meeting with them for tomorrow, Carlisle. If you need anything else Victoria and I will be in our room."

I flitted to my room quickly, ignoring the chaos raging downstairs. Victoria's screeching made me laugh hysterically

"No more sex for you, dog lover!"

 **-o0o-**

"Who let the dogs out! Who! Who! Who! Who," Victoria and Emmett sang.

"Omg, shut up," I groaned. They hadn't stopped taunting me since I told them I knew the wolves.

"You obviously like dogs. Which one of them were you fucking?"

Emmett gaffawed and I glared at him. He lifted his hands up in surrender and backed away from me. His fear was amusing.

"I didn't have sex with anyone. You're the only girl I've had sex with. You know that," I said, trying to sound serious. Rosalie gave a sharp laugh. "What's your problem?"

"Didn't you and Rose-," Emmett began.

"Shut up, Emmett," Alice cut him off. I sighed in relief.

"Nah. Give me the dirt," Victoria said, glaring at me. I instantly regretted messing with her. At least in front of Rose.

"Your mate is a liar. That's all I have to say," she laughed. The next thing I knew, I had a sharp pain in the back of my head.

"Ow! What the fuck?"

"You shouldn't lie about shit like that!"

"Language! You all settle down. The wolves will be here in a few moments," Esme scolded us.

"Sorry, Esme," we said in unison. Victoria at me and moved away.

When I pouted at her full force, she sighed and leaned against me. I grinned in triumphant and stuck my tongue out at Rosalie. She rolled her eyes at my childish behavior.

After a while I could hear the large paws of the wolves hitting the ground. Victoria tensed up, causing me to wrap my arm around her. I fully expected her to be freaked out by them. I can't say that I wasn't when I first met them.

The large wolves creeped out of the tree line, dwarfing us completely. There was only about five of them. Victoria relaxed beside me and fell into hysterical laughter. I placed my hand over her mouth to muffle it. The wolves glared at us with their large eyes.

"They want to know why their here and why we have two humans in our presence," Edward said apathetically.

"We would like to introduce you our friends, Ashtan and Victoria. You may know one of them," Carlisle explained. "If one of you would be kind enough to shift. None of us will harm you. I vow it."

The largest black wolf seemed to have a conversation with the rest of the pack before reluctantly running back into the woods. We waited for a few minutes before he came back, shirtless and eerily familiar. He looked like he was about sixty years old. Victoria whistled at him, making me snicker.

"We don't know either of these humans. Why have you brought them here," he said gruffly. I rolled my eyes and stepped forward. I don't need Carlisle to speak for me.

"What's your name, son," I said, becoming more serious. The lack of wolves for the pack was a big sign that they were falling off.

"Joseph Black and I am not your son," he said, confused. I walked closer to him and he wrinkled up his nose. "What is that smell?"

"That's me and my mate. We're a different kind of vampire. I'm even more different than she is. You see, I'm a Phoenix. I'm sure You're tribe has a story about me. The woman with fire in her veins," I explained.

I lifted up my hand and allowed a small flame to come to my fingertip. The wolves instantly became uneasy. Joseph's eyes widened and he looked around to see if everyone else was seeing what he was seeing. I extinguished the fire and waited for him to speak.

"Annuk Sukkahn. The pale saviour," He said in awe. Suddenly he was even more confused. I stopped him before he could ask.

"I've been reborn many times since then. I'm sexier now," I said, waggling my brows. Joseph chuckled before clearing his throat. "I'm also a vampire now."

"You don't look like a bloodsucker."

"We aren't cold ones. We don't have venom and we definitely don't bloody sparkle," Victoria chimed in. The Cullens looked offended.

"That's all you need to know about us."

"Your eyes are not gold like the others. If you're killing humans-," he began angrily.

"We have blood bags. Chill, dude. You don't have to worry about us," I assured him. Joseph rubbed his temples. The old man looked tired. He wouldn't be alpha for long.

"You need to come and speak to the elders. They have been telling us your story for many years. You know more than we do about our forefathers."

I couldn't sympathize with him because I had no ancestors to know about. I really didn't want to cross the treaty line and give a bunch of old men a heart attack, or hard ons, when I walked into their home. However, my mate looked utterly excited about meeting the old geezers. I couldn't very well say no, could I?

"Of course. My mate and I would love to speak to your elders."

Joseph's wrinkled face pulled into a smile. Well, almost a smile. He was still grimacing over my smell, which I didn't know was repulsive to them. It kind of hurt my feelings.

"We will void the treaty for now. I will have a few of my wolves waiting at the border to escort you when you're ready," he said kindly. I nodded my approval. They left shortly after.

"Well that was easier than I thought. Usually they try to kill at least twice," Alice said, relieved.

"I believe, my dear friend, that your presence will save us years of conflict," Carlisle said, squeezing my shoulder. I smiled at my old friend.

"I call dibs on the old hunk! Did you see those hairy nipples?"

I glared at Victoria chased her as she ran into the woods.

"You little bitch," I growled.

"I knew you were into dogs!"


	14. Anuk Sukkahn

**Victoria**

I closed my eyes as my mate rested on my chest. The sun shone down through the trees and warmed our cool flesh. The ground beneath us pillowed our bodies. We were reluctant to leave the comfort of the beautiful forest. We both relished in this brief moment of alone time together.

Ashtan shifted slightly as I slipped my fingers into her thick mane of hair. She sighed in relief and tightened her arms around me. I was grateful for it. Her arms are the only place that I feel at home. No matter where we are.

"Sing me a song," I whispered. She smiled softly. I may be a grown woman now but I am still so much like a child.

"I gave my love a cherry that has no stone. I gave my love a chicken that has no bone. I gave my love a ring that has no end. I gave my love a baby with no cryen," she sang quietly as massaged her scalp. I looked down at her and gave her an odd look.

"I've heard this song before." She shushed me and gently pushed me back to the ground.

"How can there be a cherry that has no stone? How can there be a chicken that has no bone? How can there be a ring that has no end? How can there be a baby with no cryen?"

I closed my eyes and hummed along with her. Memories of my childhood came to mind. Those were different times. Before I became infatuated with that scum, Johnathan, I was so happy. I find myself missing my family more. Especially being around the Cullens.

 _"A cherry, when it's blooming, it has no stone. A chicken when it's pipping, it has no bone. A ring when it's rolling, it has no end. A baby when it's sleeping, has no cryen," my mother sang quietly, holding me tightly._

 _I took deep, heaving breaths. Her voice was like an angel. It always calmed me down when the attacks came._

" _Where did you learn that song, mum?"_

 _"My mother sang it to me when I was a little girl just like you," she said softly, combing her fingers through my hair. "I had the same sickness too."_

 _"Truly," I asked, bewildered. I felt so alone in my pain. I could barely breath half the time. My little lungs were filled with fluid. "I won't be ill forever?"_

 _Mother shook her head and smiled at me lovingly. I sighed as her fingers continued to massage my scalp. The rise and fall of her chest somehow helped me to breathe easier._

 _"Of course not, my love. You grow strong. Soon you will be woman and you'll have no need for my songs. You'll have your own children to sing them to."_

 _"I'll always want to hear your songs," I said tiredly. My mother hummed and kissed my forehead gently._

 _"Then I will always be here to sing them."_

"Are you okay," Ashtan asked, raising her brows at me. She was straddling me with her arms crossed over her chest.

"I'm fine. I was just.."

"Daydreaming? What were you thinking about," she asked. I sighed heavily and grabbbed her waist.

"My mother. The song just brought back memories that I thought I forgot about. I just..I miss my family."

The look on my mate's face spoke volumes. She kissed my cheek and hugged me gently. She knew that even though I am wild and free, I have moments where I get lost in my head.

"I'm sorry, love," she murmured. Her eyes became didstant. "I miss my family all the time. Sometimes it's my slave family..sometimes it's Hetap. Other times, I see my first mother smiling at me in my memories."

I sat up held her close to comfort her. She looked haunted by the eons of memories flashing through her brain. I did the only thing I could do when this happened. I remained silent and just let her feel that I was here.

"I know how you feel...I won't keep you from traveling to see her. I just want you to be happy, V," she said adamantly. My lips pulled into a genuine smile and I kissed her passionately.

"Thank you, love. When do you want to leave? London is pretty lively this time of year."

"I'm not going. I think it's time that you go out and travel without me. Your control is amazing," she said casually, that glazed over look was gone now. She gave me whiplash with the way she snapped back to reality.

I don't know how to feel about leaving Ashtan alone. I mean, I want her with me all the time. It is only right for me to want to have my mate where I know she is safe. But, the thought of traveling alone intrigued me. My wild mind latched onto images of myself running through deep forests, barefoot and feral.

"I know," she said, laughing at my lost expression. I blushed and shoved her off of me in annoyance. "Just don't get yourself killed. I'd go insane without somebody to annoy all day."

"Oh, you don't have to worry about me. I have my gift."

"Victoria Hastings, I'll never stop worrying about you. Even if you had every power in the world."

I kissed her softly, reveling in the feeling of her plump lips. I would miss her kisses but I would miss her presence the most. So commanding and calming at once. When I didn't know what to do there she was, ready to show me the way. She is much like my mother, I realize.

"What are you waiting for? Aren't you ready to go? It'll only take a week there and back," she laughed quietly. I slapped her arm harshly.

"I was going to get some lovin' before I left but never mind," I laughed, backing away from her. Her jaw dropped and she begged me to come back.

"Nope. It's whatever. I'll just pick up a human along the way."

"Make sure you finish them off. I don't want you getting sentimental and bringing home a childe. I'm not ready to be a momma again," she called. I rolled my eyes at her and kissed her one last time.

She grabbed my arm gently.

"In all seriousness, I'm proud of how well you've adjusted. Have fun but just..make it back to me in one piece please?"

"I will. I promise."

When she finally let me go, I took off into the woods without hesitation. The more we prolonged it the longer it would take for me to pull myself away.

A part of me wanted to turn around but I had to make sure my family was okay. And secretly, I wanted to show my mate that I was independent. That I am her equal in all things. I can handle myself.

 **Ashtan**

The smell of La Push permeated my nose and I inhaled deeply. It wasn't much different than I remember it. Sea salt and the odd smell of sage still lingered here. Along with some carbon monoxide from all of the new technology.

I followed Joseph and his pack across the dark beach to a bonfire they had started in the sand. The eyes of the Quileute watched me closely, looking for any sign of hostility. I smiled at them as nonthreatening as I could and they still grimaced.

 _I guess they don't believe me._

Joseph guided me over to the elders and I bowed in respect. He looked slightly taken aback.

"This is Harry Clearwater, my brother Billy Black, and Quill Sr.," he said, before gesturing towards my seat. I sat down and braced myself for the worst.

"This leech is not Anuk Sukkahn. You've let her fool you into bringing her here," Quil grunted, glaring at me. I kept my composure as the people began to chatter.

"I am called Ashtan now but when I met your forefathers I was called Anuk Sukkahn. I assure you, I am not here to harm anyone."

I reached forward and placed my hands in the fire. The people gasped and exclaimed. It didn't hurt. In fact, it felt comforting. The heat made me close my eyes and smile. I pulled my hands out and the flames clung to them, dancing and swaying. The people looked at me like I was a goddess. The same as their ancestors before them.

"How is this possible," Billy whispered. He grabbed my hand and turned it around, finding no burns.

"I thought the same brother. This world is not limited to wolves and vampires," Joseph said softly.

"What are you," Harry asked. I sat back in my seat and sighed.

"I am many things. A woman first, a vampire second, but a Phoenix through and through. I'm a wine enthusiast. I'm a social activist and a lover of languages. Most importantly, i am the mate of the most wonderful woman I've ever laid eyes on," I said quietly, staring at the fire.

"So I ask that when you interact with people who are different than you, realize that they are more than what they seem. We good people need to stick together and fight those who would harm our families. It doesn't matter what our species is."

The pack looked ashamed of themselves. That wasn't what I intended but very well. Hopefully I could hel Carlisle and his family so that when I left I could leave his life better than I walked into it. Just as he had mine.

"I..apologize for my rudeness," Quil said begrudgingly. He stuck out his wrinkled hand and I shook it firmly, smiling.

"Now that we see that you are who you say you are, would you tell us about your time with our ancestors," Harry asked. The man looked like he was vibrating with excitement.

"Of course. Where do I start.."

 _The wet sand squished beneath my toes as I made my way out of the ocean. I squeezed the water out of my hair and cursed. I was hungry, cold, and soaking wet. My plans hadn't gone as well as I thought they would._

 _My rations weren't enough for five men plus me. Halfway through the trip, the bastards had eaten through most of it. To make matters worse, they thought I was their whore. They seemed to have forgotten how much I paid them to take me here._

 _I killed each of them in their sleep._

 _I trudged into the woods with two things in mind, food and water. I could smell fire cominh from just ahead and my stomach was eating itself. I kept forward confidently. I wasn't about die of starvation so whatever being made me could laugh at my incompetence._

 _I stopped just before walking into the settlement. The sound of twigs snapping froze me in place. I could hear the heavy breaths of a beast behind me. I cursed under my breath as it began to growl._

 _"Lets just calm down," I said, turning around slowly. My eyes bulged from their sockets._

 _"Oh my.."_

 _The wolf was gargantuan. Black as night with eyes as large as my fist. I remained frozen in place, careful not to move an inch as it came forward. I gritted my teeth as it sniffed at my my neck. It's breath reeked._

 _"Alright! Alright! Im not here to hurt anybody," I said angrily. The wolf tilted it's head at me and I groaned. "I bet you don't even speak Svenska, do you?"_

 _The wolf simply stared at me._

 _"Exactly as I thought. Hey!"_

 _The wolf grabbed my arm in its mouth gently and tugged me toward the village. I fought against the beast at first but the smell of food and the sound of singing caught my attention. My stomach growled visciously._

 _The wolf finally dropped my arm when we made it to the fire. I stood in front of them rigidly as they stared at me. They talked to each other in their language and I listened to their diction to determine what they were saying. It was foreign to me but I was now determined to learn it._

 _"Friend," I said to them. I pointed to my chest and lifted up my hands palm forward. "I am a friend."_

 _One of the women strode toward me. She shouted something at the other people. It sounded like she was scolding them. She pulled me over to the fire and sat me down unceremoniously._

 _" You are small. Eat," the woman said, gruffly. She pulled a piece of meat off a stick and shoved it into my hand. _

_I wasted no time in devouring it. The woman continued feeding me while the other's chatted around me. I paid them no attention. The meat was succulent. When she handed me a bowl of water, I nearly fainted._

 _" She is pale like the cold ones," one of the women said suspiciously. _

_" She eats, Yahni. She is not one of them."_

 _"Are you certain?"_

 _"I am. She is just a skinny pale woman. We must fatten her."_

 _" We will have a choice. The girl is ravenous."_

 _"Mmmm, gods. What is this? Chicken? It's so good," I moaned. The woman beside me laughed and shoved another piece into my hands."You're going to kill me with all of this food!"_

 _Soon the men began to gather around the fire. I wondered where the large wolf went. I wondered why they didn't run screaming when the wolf walked into their village. Suddenly, I wasn't hungry anymore. I was confused._

 _I cleared my throat loudly to get their attention. "Can someone please teach me this language? I need to ask some questions."_

 _They simply stared at me. The nice woman placed another piece of heavenly meat into my lap, silencing me again._

 _"Just wait. I'll get some answer after I eat this food," I muttered in annoyance._

 _For almost two weeks, I had remained with them. I watched the way they interacted with each other and gathered their language rather quickly. It wasn't as hard as I made it seem._

 _"The wolf that brought me here, where is he," I asked. Hira smiled at me and continued skinning the chicken._

 _"He is right there," she said. I followed her finger and my brows shot up. It was the chief of the tribe._

 _"No. I meant the wolf. The black wolf?"_

 _Hira just continued to smile and tear into the poor, tasty chicken. I sighed in annoyance and plopped down beside her._

 _"Our tribe is special. Many of the men have the spirit of the wolf. The Gods smile upon us," she said quietly. I listened intently as she went on._

 _"The cold ones came. The pale ones with eyes the color of blood. They descended upon our villages nearly ten summers ago. I was just a child. One of them killed my mother."_

 _I touched her back gently. Hira looked ready to cry but she steeled herself against it. If I knew anything about Quileute women, they were tough as nails._

 _"Taha Aki, the black wolf as you say, and many of our men were gifted with the spirit of the wolf. When one of his wives gave her life to save him from the jaws of the cold one, our women were gifted with it too," she explained, smirking. I smiled proudly. I could imagine her as a majestic wolf._

 _"But, the cold ones continue to wonder here. They smell our scent and come in bouts of rage. Though we are strong, they are stronger. I do apologize for our rudeness, Anuk. You look much like a pale one. Though...you smell of fire and not of death."_

 _I was taken aback by her statement. I had never been told that before._

 _"Uh, thank you, Hira. And my name isn't-"_

 _She cut me off with a raised hand. I listened closely to see what she was hearing but my ears weren't as strong as hers. I stood up slowly and watched the chief and his men tremble. My heart was pounding in my chest._

 _"Cold ones! Ready yourselves," Taha Aki roared at his people._

 _Most of the tribe retreated into their huts as if that would save them from the vampires. I knew better. If they could storm my pyramid, they could ambush anything._

 _The sound of feet hitting the ground finally reached my ears and all hell broke loose. Men and women began to burst into humonous wolves whilst I stood there in shock. Never, in my thousands of years, had I seen something like this. Werewolves didn't hold a candle to the sheer control these people had._

 _The vampires appeared out of thin air. I could see that they were Spanish. The man was tall and pale as the driven snow, with long raven hair and piercing red eyes. The woman was more of a sight. Crescent shaped scars littered her arms and neck. The rage filled look on her face as she ran towards me nearly sent a chill up my spine. Nearly._

 _Hira pushed me back with her large silver body and charged the woman without hesitation. I cursed under breath as the wolves began to fight the vampires. They were not winning but they weren't losing either._

" _By the gods, what do I do," I said under breath. My body shook with the force of the fire inside me. I wanted to burn everything to the ground._

 _I watched as the vampires began winning. I could smell their age and I knew these wolves would not win if I didn't help. A shrill whine echo in my ear and I watched Hira fly through the air in slow motion. Any restraint I had was gone._

 _I roared and jumped off the ground to catch her before she fell. Her weight was extreme but I managed to set her on the ground gently. Once I saw that she was okay, all that gentleness was gone._

 _I charged forward, pushing the wolves out of the way. I kicked the man hard, sending him crashing back into the forest. The woman screamed and charged at me fast. I grunted as she punched me in the side, breaking my ribs. The pain was intense._

 _"You harlot," I roared. The woman laughed and dove toward my neck._

 _Before she had the chance to even lick me, Taha Aki's large jaws closed around her midsection. When she screamed, my hands shot forward and envelope her head in beautiful flames._

 _"No! Marìa!"_

 _I turned to see the man charging at me. I will never forget the look in his eyes. There was a madness..a rage that only comes with the loss of a mate. Venom frothed at his mouth as he roared._

 _I never saw a vampire move so fast in all my years. I almost felt bad for him._

 _In his madness, he never saw them coming._

 _Hira and Leilani were on him in seconds. He was so close to me that his drool landed on my arm when they pounced on him. His body ripped in half to the sound of metal schreeching._

 _"Stop! I need to talk to talk to him," I called to my friends. They were reluctant but I gave them a firm look._

 _The man was so eager to kill me. He tried to pull himself across the ground to reattach his lower half but I wouldn't have it. He screamed in anguish as his legs went up in flames._

 _"You witch! You heretic! I will see you gutted and flayed alive!"_

 _"You won't be seeing anything but the back of your eyelids," I snarled. The man's eyes remained empty and I scoffed. "Why did you come here?"_

 _"We smelled the giant wolves. Their stench permeates this place," he said, comforting my suspicions._

 _I produced a large flame in my hand and walked toward him slowly._

 _"Just kill me. I have no reason to live," he said monotonously. The man laid back on the dirty ground and stared up at me without fear._

 _I extinguished the fire and smiled maniacally._

 _"Oh no, you won't die. You have a purpose," I cackled. At this, his eyes widened with fear. "You'll serve as a warning to any cold ones that wander here. If you do your job well, I will let you die with your mate."_

 _Later that night, I watched the vampire dry sob from his spot tied to a tree beside his mate's headless body. He would be guarding these kind people until his sentence has been served. I felt evil but this was karma._

 _"The Lady of Fire!"_

 _I looked up in confusion. The tribe was coming towards me with various items in their hands. Jewelry, fruits, live chickens, and so much more. They laid them down in front of me one by one. Each person kneeled before they walked away._

 _"What is going on," I asked them._

 _"The Lady of Fire," they chanted. The women moaned and began to dance around me. I sat there completely confused._

 _Taha Aki and his wives strode towards me with arms full of gold. My eyes widened and I shook my head frantically._

 _"I can't take your money, Chief. I am not what you think I am."_ _His wise eyes smiled at me and he motioned for his wives to lay the gold at my feet._

 _"You are Lady of Fire. You struck down the cold ones with powers only a goddess could wield. We owe you our lives. From now, until forever," he said, kneeling in front of me._

 _I wanted to say no and tell him that I was not someone to praise, but he was insistent. His wives braided my hair and fed me the ripest wild grapes I had ever tasted. He summoned Hira and Leilani along with a handful of men. I was even more confused when he lined them up in front of me._

 _"Take your pick, Anuk Sukkahn. These are the finest spirit warriors we have to offer. If you should want the fairer sex, Hira and Leilani are our most beautiful warriors," he said stoically, going down the line._

 _I sat in horror, watching the men grin at me shyly. They couldn't have been older than sixteen summers. Hira and Leilani laughed at my expression._

 _"Uh, no! I mean, that's fine. I actually have a..a husband! Yes, a husband," I sputtered, moving to retreat to my hut._

 _"Only one husband? I'm sure he would not mind if you married one of my warriors," Taha Aki said, thinking he was being generous._

 _"No no. I'm fine, really. I'm very tired. I must rest. Thank you for your hospitality!"_

 _I nearly ran to my hut. However, I was not so lucky. Seconds later, a few woman came into my room and began to fan me as I laid down. I groaned and pulled the furs over my head._

 _"By the gods."_

"Shortly after our battle, the tribe loading my boat up with food and water to get me back across the ocean. It was very hard to leave them. I had become comfortable. But everything comes to end," I finished.

They were quiet for a while. They looked at me with different eyes now.

"You said there were female spirit warriors," Joseph said in confusion. "We haven't had a female spirit warrior that I know of."

I blinked in surprise. There were a lot of female wolves back then.

"Well, don't be surprised if you have to eat your words. Anything is possible and now you know just how possible," I chuckled.

"We have much to thank you for it seems. It is possible we wouldn't be here without your help," Billy Black muttered quietly. I shrugged.

"The Quileutes are a strong people. Taha Aki especially. Your ancestors would have found a way."

"Nonetheless, is there anything we can do to repay you," Harry asked. I was about to object but I remembered Carlisle and his family.

"Lift the treaty and ally with the Cullens."

Chaos erupted between the people immediately. I chuckled quietly and listened to their objections. They weren't sound at all. However, I was surprised to hear that the elders were not the ones objecting.

"Quiet! All of you! Anuk Sukkahn has a point," Quil Sr. said sternly. I didn't dare to correct him.

"Yes, she does. If we ally with the cold- the Cullens, we will have more protection for the tribe and Forks. It only makes sense," Harry explained. I wanted to start clapping.

"Then the treaty is broken. Joseph and the pack will no longer harass the Cullens. They will only patrol for human drinkers," Billy Black said sternly, looking directly at the pack.

"Thank you," I said humbly. "I assure you that the Cullens are good people. More human than you think. I will keep them in line if they should stray."

"It is only right. If we hadn't been steeped in prejudice we would be able to see for ourselves," Harry said kindly. "Is there anything else we can do?"

"That is all for now. I need to be getting home. The Cullens must be going insane by now," I laughed.

The people chuckled with me and we talked for a short moment before I made my way home. A small smile stretched across my face the whole way. I was doing the right thing for once and it felt really good.


	15. Cousins What are they good for?

**-o0o-**

When I came up on the house, I was hit by the smell of vampires. It was not the Cullens but it was familiar. So familiar, in fact, that I already knew who they were before I saw them. I felt a knot form in my throat.

 _I wish Victoria was here._

When I walked into the living room, all eyes turned to me. I felt tired for the first time in a long time. The pull of the mating bond was working me over. I did not want to have to deal with being pummeled or even arguing for that matter.

"This must be the infamous Ashtan Odair. I'm Tanya Denali. It is a pleasure to meet you," Tanya purred from her seat on the couch.

"You're fucking hot. Why didn't anybody tell me she was this hot," Katarina said in confusion. I just blinked at them as the Cullen laughed at me.

"Shut up, Kate," Irina said in annoyance. I just stared at her, trying not to break down. "I'm Irina and these are my stupid sisters. Carmen and Eleazar will be joining us in a week's time."

My blood drained from my face and my throat felt like it was closing. Eleazar. Volturi guard, Eleazar. Alice and Rosalie were next to me in seconds.

"Oh my, you look thirsty. Come upstairs with us and we'll find those blood bags," Alice said, pulling me up the stairs.

"You don't have to make excuses, pixie! Three is company," Kate called. I couldn't even find it in me to laugh.

I sat on Rosalie's bed while Alice rummaged around in Carlisle's office. Rose sat down next to me, looking completely confused. Alice bursted into the room and shut the door tightly behind her. I sighed when I realized the rooms were soundproofed.

"What the hell is going on," Rosalie demanded.

"Why the hell didn't you tell me they were coming, Alice," I growled under my breath.

"I didn't know what you had done until they made plans to come here! I couldn't say no!"

My fangs clicked and I sank my teeth into the first blood bag. I slurped it down like it was a smoothy and did the same with the others, ignoring their looks of jealousy. When I was done, I handed them back to Alice.

"I'll just cut to the chase. I killed their mother." Of course Alice didn't look surprised but Rosalie stared at me like I was supposed to say April fools.

"You're not kidding," she said incredulously.

"Sadly, no. I was a different person back then. I was a cold, hard bitch, and a queen at that. I couldn't let her get away with turning a child, Rose. I wouldn't wish for anyone to have seen what I saw that night," I said quietly.

The images of the bodies piled on top of each other came to my mind and I shuddered. I cringed at my sudden humanity. Damn these Cullens.

"It's going to be okay, Ash. Just calm down. I don't see anything bad happening..yet," Alice said in a soothing voice. I took deep breaths to calm myself.

"Wait. Where the hell is fire-crotch? Shouldn't she be here right now. If she's in Seattle, I'm kicking her ass," Rose said, arching an eyebrow at me. That just made me more on edge.

"I sent her off to go visit her parents. She'll be back in a week...hopefully. I regret it now."

Rose and Alice looked at me sympathetically. No doubt, they had barely been away from their mates for two days since they met. I steeled myself internally and shook my nerves away.

Worst comes to worst, they'll try to kill me and I'll have to kill them. I grimaced at the thought. I really didn't want to hurt Irina but I can't take back what I've already done.

If Eleazar comes back and senses my powers somehow, I'll have to be ready to defend myself.

"Are you okay to go back down," Rosalie asked me quietly. I nodded and grabbed her hand tightly.

I sat silently on the couch next to Rose and listened to the sisters tell us about various things they'd done in their past. I caught myself smiling as I watched Irina laughing with her sisters.

"Irina almost took the guy's head off! It was hilarious," Kate guffawed. Irina rolled her eyes.

"She wasn't as bad as you. You destroyed an entire village," Tanya snickered. Carlisle, Esme, and Edward were aghast while the rest of us laughed.

"Shut up, Tanya! You took down two villages alone. Yep, mother told me," Kate teased. I froze up again and Rose grabbed me hand.

"Oh wow. I like the new development, Rose. I always knew you were a succubus. I hope Emmett can keep up!"

Emmett gave a dopey grin and Rosalie smacked him across the head. I grimaced and laughed as he pouted. Poor guy.

"Is there room for one more," Kate teased. I blinked at her in confusion. She continued to stare at me lewdly.

"Uh, no. I mean, me and Rose aren't-we don't do that," I sputtered. _What am I? A newborn?_

"That's too bad."

I refused to look away as Kate stared me down. I could feel her trying to fuck with my chi and I wouldn't let her. When she realized it wasn't working, she gave me an impressed look. The sisters seemed to notice what was going on and they zeroed in on me.

"Tell us about yourself, Ashtan. You're the most interesting person here," Tanya said, leaning forward in her seat.

"Yeah. Where are you from? How old are you," Kate said suspiciously. I mentally thanked Jasper as he pushed calming waves toward me.

"Well, I'm from Tennessee. I was changed in 1852 when I was nineteen years old. I met Carlisle in 1933. After that I've just been wandering. Nothing too wild," I said casually. Inwardly, I wanted to run.

The sisters nodded, never taking their eyes off of me.

"You smell familiar," Irina said slowly, inhaling my scent. I refused to flinch.

"Yeah, like fire and something else," Kate trailed off, pretending to think.

"Sex," Tanya finished for her.

They were silent for a moment before bursting out laughing. I chuckled with them when I realized they were joking...but were they? I didn't let myself get comfortable with them. I knew better by now than to trust anyone.

"Well, it was nice meeting you all. I'm going to go lie down," I said, making my way towards the stairs.

"Can I join you," Kate called. I continued up the stairs, too tired to joke back.

I plopped down on my bed and breathed in Victoria's beautiful scent. I wish she was here with me. I just hope that she's happy right now and that she gets back before my one thousand year old mistakes catch up with me.

 **Victoria**

The concrete was cool under my wet feet. I watched a small car stop on the side of the deserted road and strode over to the passenger door. The man inside smiled at me disgustingly and I smirked.

"Can you give me a ride to the closest airport? I'm kind of lost," I said innocently, twirling a strand of hair. I could smell his disgusting arousal already.

"Of course, hop right on in!"

As we drove down the ride, the guy wouldn't stop sneaking glances at me and I couldn't stop thinking about his greasy doublechin. He turned the radio down and gathered his courage to speak to me.

"Where ya from, young lady? You don't sound like yer from around here."

"I'm from England. I'm just trying to get back to my family. I miss them so much," I said, pretending to sad.

"Aw, it's alright. I'll get you to the airport...I didn't catch your name beautiful," he said, placing his hand on my thigh. I gritted my teeth.

"The name's Tori," I said gruffly. That innocent shit is gone. I hate being touched, especially by people who aren't my mate.

The man didn't seem to catch on. He squeezed my thigh and tried to slide his hand into my crotch. I growled and crushed his hand with my thighs, reveling in his screams and the sound of his hand breaking.

The car swerved hard and I cursed. I grabbed the man's fat head and snapped his next easily. I kicked him out of the car and climbed into the front seat just in time to save myself from crashing.

"Fuck yeah, baby! Woo! London here I come!"

My throat began to itch and I cleared my throat multiple times trying to get it to stop. When it didn't go away, I hit the steering wheel in annoyance.

"Great. Just bloody great," I cursed, turning the car around.

"I gotta drain that guy. Greasy doublechin be damned."

 **-o0o-**

I stared at the plane tickets in my hand like they were evil. I really don't want to get on this plane but something tells me I need to.

"Ma'am... can I have your ticket," the lady at the desk said caustiously. I sighed and thrust it toward her finally. "Here you go."

I snatched the ticket back and went and took my seat on the plane. My stomach was already twisting into knots. I looked to my right and scowled, pulling down the blind.

"Fuck this," I cursed under my breath.

An older woman sat down next to me and I breathed a sigh of relief. At least I won't be alone if the plane crashes. She smiled at with all the kindness of a grandmother. I shot a strained smile back at her. I noticed her grayish auburn hair and smiled. _G_ _ingers gotta stick together._

The plane began to move finally and I tightened my seatbelt. I closed my eyes and clutched the armrests as the planes lifted off the ground. I cursed my decision to get on this death trap.

"Are you okay, dear," the lady asked me kindly. I was taken aback by her English accent for a moment before my mind went back to the plane.

"I'm fine," I squeaked. I jumped when my ears started popping. "Damn it."

The lady reached into her purse and brandished two pieces of chewing gum. I grabbed them with a quick thank you and shoved them in my mouth.

"Where are you heading dear," she asked. I chewed the mint gum fervently before replying.

"I'm going to see my mum. It's been awhile since I saw her."

She nodded silently and watched me for a moment. "What? Is there something on my face," I asked, wiping my mouth.

"My granddaughter was afraid of planes. I couldn't get her on one without her going into fits."

I chuckled self deprecatingly.

"I know I'm childish, you don't have to rub it in."

The old lady patted my arm gently. I really felt like a child now. Instead of ripping my arm away from her, I allowed her to caress my arm. To my surprise, it calmed me down enough to relax my grip on the armrests.

"Where are you traveling from," I asked the old lady. I watched a dark look pass over her face.

It hurt. It reminded me of the sad look my mother had when I told her I was leaving with Johnathan. She was so heartbroken because somehow she knew that he was scumbag. She tried to tell me but I wouldn't listen to her. Now, I can't say that I would change my decision.

"I went to visit my grandchildren in the states. They're so invested in their new gadgets and..gaming systems that they barely came of their rooms to say hello," she said sadly.

"Technology is really progressing. It's almost scary how fast it's getting better. It's only going to get worse, Ma'am." She looked at oddly and I wondered what what wrong. If I said something wrong, she didn't comment.

I sat back in my seat and closed my eyes, feeling the thrum of the airplane vibrate through my body. The old lady went on to tell me stories about what it was like back in her day. I listened intently until she became tired and fell asleep.

I found myself envying her wisdom. One day I would have that but then again, I would never be able to have children and grandchildren. Ash and I would never grow old together. Half of me was saddened by this fact, the wild side of me rejoiced.

 **Ashtan**

I watched from my balcony as Emmett and Edward sparred. It was hilarious, watching Edward throw someone twice his size across the entire yard. The family laughed cheered them on without a care in the world. I excluded myself from this family gathering willingly. It was too awkward to be around them now.

A knock sounded on my door and I sighed. "Come in," I said, not even caring aboutwho it might be. I regretted it instantly.

"You don't wanna slum it with them, I see. Too cool?"

If I wasn't so pent up with frustration, Kate and I could have been friends. She reminded me a lot of Victoria. Right now though, I want to hit her in the face with my big toe. Instead I laugh and pretend to be amused.

"Yeah, that's totally it. Why aren't you down there instead of fucking with me?" Kate stood beside me on the balcony, leaning against the railing casually.

"I wanted to come and see what the fuss is all about. You didn't give me much to go on last night. I'm curious," she said, looking at me searchingly. Something about her stare made me uncomfortable.

"I'm not that interesting. I promise."

"I'm gonna have to disagree," she said ominously. I pretended not to know what she was talking about and plopped down on my bed. "How were you able to stop me from manipulating your chi? Vampires your age should not be able to do that."

She was staring at me suspiciously, like I was some monster from the depths of hell. Maybe I am but that doesn't give her a right to come at me accusatorily. I'm at the end of my rope with these fledglings. My humane decency is stretching thin.

"Let me tell you something, Kate. I don't have to explain myself to anyone. Especially not some Succubi that I just met. I suggest you bring it down a few fucking notches," I growled quietly.

Kate looked scared for a moment but of course it melted into a thoroughly impressed smirk. I groaned internally.

"That's totally hot. You know, I think if we get passed our differences the sex could be...electrifying," she purred.

Her hand carressed my arm for a moment before she looked at me in utter confusion. I nearly growled when I felt her trying to electrocute me. She would be dead by now if I wasn't so fond of Carlisle.

"Get out of my room, Kate. I have a mate and I don't plan on losing her anytime soon," I said, burying my face in my pillow. I want to kill something right now.

Kate stopped before she opened the door and I groaned. Why can't people just leave me the fuck alone?

"When she comes back maybe we can-," I cut her off with an angry growl.

"Get out!"

 **Victoria**

When the plane landed, I was reluctant to say goodbye to the old lady. I hadn't even gotten her name, which I thought was fucked up. I helped her carry her luggage off the plane and stood awkwardly beside her. I felt bad for having to part ways. We bonded so well.

"Yes, dear," she said curiously. Her wrinkled face pulled into the kindest smile. She reminded me of my grandmother.

"I never got your name. Um, I'm Victoria by the way," I said awkwardly, fidgeting under her wise gaze. I felt like a child again.

"I know dear." I stared at her incredulously, not sure I heard correctly. She lifted a shaking finger and pointed behind me. "You still look just like your mother."

My sluggish heart nearly stopped when I registered her words. I closed my eyes. This is a dream. My mind is making all of this up. _It was that greasy doublechin blood._

"Victoria? Oh my goodness, sweetheart. Is that really you?"

The sound of my mother's voice shook me out of my stupor and I turned around in time for her to crash into me. We were a mangled mess of blood red hair and tears of joy when my grandmother joined in. I cursed myself for not recognizing her sooner.

"Sweetheart, where have you been? Are you okay," my mother asked me tearfully.

Sure enough, it was Elizabeth Hastings in the flesh. Her hands cradled my face so gently, I thought I might start sobbing.

"I'm fine. I'm fine. I've just been..traveling," I said, trying to reassure her. She didn't need to know about the years of torture. "How have you been? Where are dad and the boys?"

My mother and grandmother looked at each other sadly. I bit my tongue before I could ask what was wrong. This is not the place for whatever bad news they are about to spring on me.

"Come on girls. Let's get back to the flat so we can speak in peace," Gran said, trying to smile. "It's been so long since we've been together."

I sat in the back seat of my mother's car, just looking out the window. London hadn't changed very much since I left. The stores were the same. The smell was the same. The only new development was how I felt about it. This isn't home anymore.

When we pulled into the driveway, I nearly asked where we were. The big, pristine white house I remembered was now overrun by vines and wild shrubs. The grass was tall and unkempt. I blanched when I saw my face taped to the mailbox.

 _Victoria Hastings. Missing since 1981._

I sat on the couch beside my gran silently as she began knitting. Deja Vu fogged my mind and I shook it off. It felt like I had never left.

"Here you go, love. I noticed you were frosty," my mother said, handing me a warm mug filled with my old favorite. Hot chocolate. Now, I nearly cringed at the taste.

"Thanks, mum. Uh, where is everybody else," I asked caustiously. They shared that same look again.

"Your father and I..we got divorced shortly after you left with Jo- with him. We both took it hard but I just couldn't cope," my mother said quietly. My shoulders slumped and I clenched my eyes shut. This is all my fault.

"He moved the boys to the states and got married shortly after. I was too distraught. I threw myself into trying to find you, but I never got any closer. Right now, I can hardly keep it together now that we've found you. I feel like I'm dreaming."

She wiped stray tears from her face and I saw the happiness in her eyes. I was overwhelmed with love for her. She never stopped looking for me.

"How is dad doing? Are the boys alright," I asked, pretending to drink my hot chocolate. My mom looked at gran expectantly.

"Gareth and the boys are quite well. But your father has grown cold over your disappearance. He's rather angry about the way you left," she explained. I sighed heavily. I might have to pay him a visit as well.

"But, the boys are doing fine. James has gotten married and moved on with his life. Everett and Tyler were too stuck in their bloody gaming systems for me to talk to them."

I was stunned into silence. My little brother has a wife now. He's grown up while I'm stuck as a twenty year old runaway.

I was beginning to notice the wrinkles on my mother's face. The smell of sickness on my grandmother. I sighed and tried to clear my mind. I could tell she didn't have very long.

"Victoria, sweety. I wanted to wait until you got comfortable but I just can't...What happened to you," my mother asked tentatively. I immediately knew what she wanted to know.

When I saw the suspicious and heartbroken look in their eyes, I wanted to vanish into thin air. I can't tell them what I am. I can't ruin this reuion already.

What can I say?


	16. “NoOne Ever Really Dies”

**-o0o-**

"I got pregnant."

They gasped in excitement. I felt horrible for lying to them but I would have to anyway if I wanted to keep them alive. My mate may be a Volturi queen but I am not above the law.

"That is wonderful, sweetheart. Where is the baby," my mother asked caustiously. I faked a heartbroken expression and started dry sobbing.

"I had a miscarriage," I cried into my hands. "I didn't want anyone to know so I just stayed away. I didn't want you all to angry with me. Johnathan told me you would hate me."

They were beside me in seconds, consoling me and assuring me that they would never blame me for something like that. All the while, I was thinking about how much I hate myself. I should have picked something else to say.

"I am so sorry, love. You could have come to us at any time. We're your family," Gran said lovingly. Now I was actually sobbing and snorting everywhere.

"I know. I should have come back or at least called. I'm so sorry," I said tearfully. My mother wrapped her arms around me tightly.

"It's alright. Come on. I don't want our reunion to be sad. Let's go out do something."

I wiped my eyes and looked at her in surprise. "Where would we go? It's Saturday, I don't think there are any bingo games going on tonight," I tried to joke.

My mom rolled her eyes at me and Gran smacked my hand.

"I have an idea," I said suddenly, smiling excitedly. They looked at me in confusion.

"Let's take Gran to a club."

 **Ashtan**

"Fuck you! That was a glitch!"

"Emmett. Language."

"My bad, mah."

"You're just mad that I'm winning. This game is eay as fuck," I taunted. Emmett nudged me in the side and I cried out.

"Esme! He hit me!"

"No I did not!"

"Emmett, we don't fight in this house," Esme scolded playfully.

I laughed as he sputtered an excuse. I love fucking with him. He's so much like my old best friend, playful and goofy. But I like whooping his in Mortal Kombat even more. There is no mercy in the art of virtually maiming people until they're unrecognizable.

"Rose, I think your husband is losing his touch," Kate quipped, plopping down beside me in front of the couch. I instinctively moved away from her.

"Good. Maybe he'll get rid of the damned thing and spend more time with me," Rose snarked, distracting for just a second.

That was all I needed to wipe the floor with his ass. I celebrating as the sound of bones breaking echoed through the house. Emmett nearly crushed his controller in his hands.

"Oh, come on! You cheated!" Kate snatched the controller from his hands and shooed him away.

"Go tend to your mate. This hottie needs some real competition."

"Go easy on her, Kate," Irina laughed, sitting with down to watch us play.

All of the sisters were now watching us and I couldn't be more uncomfortable. I shook the feelings away and grounded myself. I'm not about to lose to a fucking succubus.

"Kate doesn't know what that means," Tanya laughed.

We dove into the fight quickly. It was really close for the first two rounds. The third round was the hardest. I was impressed with her knowledge of all the combos. In the end, I ate my words. I cringed as my character got his spine ripped out of his body.

"Fuck yeah! Better luck next time," Kate teased. I nodded and kept my composure. I didn't want to look butthurt.

"Good fight. Maybe we can go one on one in real life. See who wins then." I mentally facepalmed. So much for being a good sport.

Kate raised her eyebrows at me before glancing at her sisters. I could see something sinister in that glance that I didn't like at all.

"Oh really? I knew you couldn't resist me for long. Mate or no mate. You know I'm hot," she joked. Her mirth did not reach her eyes.

I clenched my jaw and headed out the door. I need fresh air. All of this anxiety is getting to me. I took my shoes off at the door.

"Don't take her seriously, Ashtan. She's like this with everyone," Tanya assured me. I waved her off.

"I'm going for a run."

The trees blurred passed me and I relished in it. Since my change, this one ability was my favorite. The feeling of the earth beneath my feet usually makes me feel free. Now, it makes me feel closer to Victoria.

I skidded to a stop at a cliff overlooking a massive lake. It sparkles as the sun shone down upon it. The trees below were bright green and thriving. It was almost completely silent except for the sound of my breathing. Victoria would love it here.

My ear twitched as I registered the sound of muffled footsteps. It wasn't just one person.

I readied myself to attack. Fire begged to claw out of my skin as the steps got closer. I don't know what is going on but if these people have a problem, I'm going to solve it really fast.

Blonde hair blurred through the trees and I knew who it was immediately. It wasn't Rose.

They slid to a halt in front of me and I stood my ground. The sisters looked absolutely livid. All of the jokes and nice little comments were gone now. It seemed that my anxiety was not in vain. I crossed my arms and stood my ground. If they already know, I have nothing to hide.

"I knew it was you. I've never smelled anything like you before," Kate sneered.

"Except for that day in Hungary. You said you were a Phoenix," Tanya said, circling me like a lioness. "We didn't know what that was back then..but we know now."

I remained silent and met Irina's sad gaze. She looked so disappointed in me.

" _Asha, why would you let them do that? Why would you let them kill her,"_ she said in Magyar. I hung my head in shame.

All of my horrid deeds came back to the surface. I felt like I was drowning in my eons of memories. So many faces. So much death.

" _I'm sorry, little one. I never wanted to become this. I didn't ask for this,"_ I whispered. It wasn't just Irina I was apologizing to. I was apologizing to every person I had ever killed or wronged.

"Our Mother didn't ask to die either. You'll pay for what you've done."

Irina's eyes went wide and I heard Alice screaming my name in the distance. Hands gripped my head and began to twist. I grunted against the pain, allowing my power to explode outward.

Out of nowhere the hands vanished, but the pain didn't go away. I could feel fire rushing to the surface but I didn't know why. I was no longer in danger but it wouldn't go down. It was like I couldn't control my power anymore. It was consuming me instead.

Everything slowed down.

The last thing I saw was the Cullens running towards me in the distance. They were running as fast as they could but it wouldn't work. It was much too late for me. I could've sworn I saw Victoria's red hair flash beyond the trees. Maybe it was my blood? Maybe it was my flames? I don't know.

Everything was warm and black. It was peaceful and quiet. I felt like I was being hugged tightly. Before long that hug was a squeeze and I was being pushed.

Suddenly, at the end of all that blackness and all that warmth, was a light bright enough to cause pain the closer I got. I didn't want to leave this place. I wanted to stay here forever, but I was never so lucky.

The light encompassed me.

 **Victoria**

"That was fuc-, ahem, that was amazing. I didn't you guys could dance like that," I gushed. We laughed bounced to the music on the radio, still feeling hyped up.

"Back in my day, I was the queen of the jitterbug," Gran said, doing a little dance.

My laughed was cut short by a crushing pain in my chest. I covered my mouth to muffle the scream that threatened to explode from my throat. It didn't work at all.

"Victoria? What's going on," my mother asked frantically. The car swerved on the road and they screamed.

I couldn't think about anything except for the pain. It felt like someone was ripping my heart out of my chest and burning me alive simultaneously. The first thing that came to my mind was my mate. Something is horribly wrong.

"Pull the car over."

"What? Sweety, what's wrong," my mother asked tearfully.

"I have to go! I'll come back, I promise. Just let me out of the car," I pleaded. Tears streamed down my face like a waterfall.

My mother pulled over reluctantly and I was out of the car in seconds with a distracted I love you. I didn't care who saw me as I raced through the city at full speed. My only thought was Ashtan.

It took ten minutes for me to get to the ocean but it felt like years. I ripped off my clothes and dove into the waves without a second thought.

The pain subsided and I was left numb. I couldn't feel her on the other end of the bond. I felt empty, like someone had punched a gaping hole through my chest. My screams were muffled by the water.

The only thing on my mind was vengeance. Who ever did this to my mate will pay.

 **Author's Note:**

 **Don't kill me.**


	17. IncarnateWhat the fuck

**Victoria**

 **Year: 2006**

"Mrs. Hale. Mrs. Hale! No sleeping in class," Mr. Matthews scolded me. I rolled my eyes at him and sat up begrudgingly.

"I don't know why you do that. You can't even sleep," Rosalie whispered next to me. I shrugged and glared at my desk.

"I know you're depressed, we all are, but you can't draw attention to yourself."

I ignored her and retreated into my mind. It's the only way I've been able to survive all these years. Memories of my mate came to the forefront, as they always do. Her beautiful brown skin and deep chocolate eyes.

The last time I saw her, she was unrecognizable.

 _"I'm coming, Ash. I'm almost there," I muttered, running hard. "Please be okay. Please be okay."_

 _I could see the Cullen's house in the distance. Alice and Jasper flitted through the back door and bounded towards me. Any hope I had left vanished when I saw the look on their faces. If they could cry, they would be a total wreck._

 _I tried to run past them but they restrained me. I bucked against them with every ounce of strength in my body until Emmett joined them. Rosalie grabbed my face and forced me to look at her. All I wanted to do was rip them apart and get to my mate._

 _"Let me go. I need to find her," I growled ferally. Rosalie shook her head slowly and the fight began to drain from my body._

 _"Where is she, Rose? Where is Ashtan?"_

 _"She's gone," she whispered, almost unintelligibly._ _My body collapsed and my head began to swim. I felt like I was drowning._

 _"We don't know what happened. Kate and Ashtan were fighting and she just bursted into flames. I..I just don't understand."_

 _A growl rumbled in my chest and I broke away from my captors, dodging limbs effortlessly. Whoever this Kate is, she's dead._

 _"Victoria, wait! It's not her fault!"_

 _Three blonde vampires_ _appeared from the house and I bolted towards them. I didn't care that one of them was dry sobbing. I could smell my mate on all of them. The one in the middle smirked at me as I came at her, infuriating me even further._

 _"You must be her mate. Too bad we couldn't have some fun before she die-"_

 _My fist cracked her jaw with the force of a wrecking ball and she went flying into the house. I dodged punch after kick after punch while landing my own. All I saw was red._

 _I could tell they were ancient but their age wasn't helping them in this fight. My worst fear has already become my reality. Now, I fear nothing._

 _It took all of the Cullens to pull us apart. When I realized they wouldn't let me kill them, I lost all interest in the blonde cunts. My mind went back to Ashtan. I held back a sob as Carlisle hugged me tightly. The look on his face was devastating._

 _"Let me take you to her."_

 _I followed him deep into the woods to a beautiful cliff overlooking a lake. But the beauty of the place was lost on me._

 _I fell to my knees beside the pile of ashes that was once my beautiful, soul mate. I wanted to scream. I wanted to throw myself off the cliff. I wanted to rip the trees from their roots for having life when she could not._

 _Instead, I cried._

 _"How? Why? I don't understand," I sobbed._

 _Carlisle kneeled beside me and grabbed my hand. "I've contacted the kings. They said that they've never seen this happen before, but they do remember her talking about a cycle."_

 _I looked at him in confusion, wiping my tears streaked face._

 _"What do you mean? Cycle of what?"_

 _Carlisle stared at his old friend's ashes with a more hopeful expression. I had to look away. I couldn't see her like that. She was so powerful and yet, somehow her own power destroyed her? I couldn't accept that._

 _"The Phoenix is born by fire and it dies by fire. She will rise again, Victoria. She always has. I have no reason to believe that she won't," Carlisle said softly. I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to keep from falling apart._

 _"We'll be ready when she does."_

"Victoria? You okay," Emmett said, nudging me in the side.

I blinked rapidly and looked around. I hadn't even noticed that school was over. The Cullens were looking at me with a look I was used to by now. The only one who didn't was Edward. He was the only one who relate on some small level.

"I'm fine. You guy's head home. I'm gonna take a trip to Cali," I said offhandedly as I got in my car.

"When will you be back," Edward asked. I cocked a brow at him and looked away.

"I don't know. Don't wait up."

"There are so many places she could be, Victoria. I doubt you'll find her with these little trips to L.A." I glared at him and turned my music up loud. So much our little friendship.

"Fuck you, Eddy."

I have this odd feeling. I've had it since about sixteen years ago. At first, it was just a muffled pull in my chest. It was so small that I thought it was a figment of my grief ridden imagination.

The bond was dead for so long that I was nearly scared to death when it tickled its way back to life.

Over time, it grew more noticeable. I followed all across Europe. I followed it to South America. But one trip to California narrowed everything down. The pull always gets stronger the closer I get to Los Angeles. But so far, I've yet to find her.

Mostly because I'm afraid. Afraid to find her and not recognize her. Afraid to find her and her not recognize me. Afraid to find her as a child and have to wait. Most of all, I'm afraid to see her..human.

I reveled in the pull as I walked down a seedy L.A. street. I ignored all of the catcalls and whispers. The crackheads coughing and asking for a dollar. I just followed the pull where it lead me.

Each time I do this, I end up running before I get too close. Wary of hearing her and feeling the irresistible need to run to her before the time is right.

But I'm fed up with being around mated couples. My jealousy just makes me angrier and I come back again. It's a cycle that repeats itself over and over again. Just like Ashtan's cycle of self destruction.

Music blaring through a set of headphones caught my attention. The culprit was a tall, hooded figure across the street. They looked to be dancing as they walked down the sidewalk. I couldn't help but stop and watch in amusement.

"I'm bringin' sexy back! Yeah!" I laughed quietly as the boy sang aloud. He obviously didn't know how loud he was.

My eyes narrowed on a sketchy looking guy as he followed the teenage boy into an alley. I gasped as my chest tightened. My feet moved of their own accord.

The fear came back but it was accompanied by utter confusion. Why was I being drawn to this random boy? I'm not that good of a person. I'd rather drain him than save him.

I snuck behind a dumpster and watched from afar. The man was now in front of the boy with a knife in his hand. I growled quietly.

"Come on, Dee! I just got off work. I don't have time for this bullshit. I thought we were homies," he said exasperatedly. I raised my eyebrows. _He knows his mugger?_

"Run ya pockets and gimme that phone, man. I don't wanna kill you but I gotta eat too," the man said threateningly, stepping closer. My body lurched in response but I held my spot. If I save this boy, I might have to kill him.

"No. I ain't giving up shit. I paid for this with my money," the boy said fearlessly. I rolled my eyes at his bravado. "Get the hell outta here or I'm tellin' your moms that you're out here doing crack."

The man, Dee, lowered the knife for a moment before he changed his mind.

"I'm sorry, A."

He charged at the boy, swiping the knife at him wildly. I stepped around the dumpster to intervene but I was too late. The man was already lying on the ground unconscious. All I saw was a flurry of well placed punches and the man was out of commission. My jaw literally dropped open.

"Are you lost? This is Slauson. Beverly Hills is that way."

I looked up and into familiar chocolate brown eyes. My heart stuttered in my chest and I swayed on my feet clumsily. It felt like I was meeting Ashtan again for the first time but this was obviously not her.

The boy bounded over to me and held me steady with his strong hands. Too strong for a human. I could tell that he didn't realize his strength.

"Are you alright, lady," he asked, checking my temperature. He frowned. "You're kinda cold. Do you want my hoodie?"

I couldn't get my tongue to work. All I could do was stare up at him in utter confusion. It was my mate's face on a young man's body, but with the beginnings of a beard.

Even his hair was the same, thick black curls tied into a bun at the top of his head. Caramel skin as smooth as can be. Lips thick and juicy like I remember. I cringed internally at my attraction to him. He couldn't be older than seventeen. The denial quickly set in.

He smiled kindly and took off his hoodie. I breathed in his sweet scent as he slung it over my shoulders. I fought not to moan aloud. He smelled just like her, vanilla mixed with a hint of fire.

He stood in front of me awkwardly. He looked like he was racking his brain over something. I didn't care. I just raked my eyes over his tall frame like a total creep. Something about him screamed femininity, even with his masculine exterior. He even fucking stood like her. _Is my mate gay?_

" _Are you lost? Do you need help getting home,"_ he said in rough sign language. I stared at him incredulously.

"I'm not deaf," I said finally, laughing at my own stupidity. The boy sighed in relief.

"Good, because it's been awhile since I've had to use sign language," he chuckled. He looked back at the man snoring on the ground and back at me.

"So you saw that huh?"

"Yep, I saw that."

"All of it?"

"Yep."

I inhaled deeply as he blushed and played it off with a cough. A look of concern crossed his features and he moved forward to zip up the jacket. I leaned in discreetly and inhaled his scent even more.

"You shouldn't be out here in the cold. Do you want me to walk you to your car?"

I nodded, all the while wanting to refuse. I didn't want to leave his side. As we walked, he tried to reassure me that what I saw him do back there was nothing but his martial arts training. I remained silent and allowed him his reassurances, trying to justify my denial that this was who I thought it was.

When we got to my car, he raised his brows at me.

"Holy shit, lady. I'm surprised this car is still here. Who drives a Range Rover to the hood," he laughed, checking out my car. I laughed and rolled my eyes at him.

"I got lost. I have to get home. Here's your hoodie," I said, desperately trying to get away. _This can't be my mate._

"Nah, you keep it. Remember me when you go back to your mansion. I have to get back to the shelter before they call the cops." I suddenly felt horrible.

"Keep this, you'll get cold," I said, trying to hand him the jacket. I don't need any form of his scent on me. It's too similar.

"I never get cold," he laughed. I stared at him incredulously. _Are you fucking kidding me?_

"You better head out. It's almost time for the bloods to come out. Oh, and watch out for red lights. They like to pull up on you."

As the boy walked away, I stood there staring after him. The pull followed him. As soon as I turned around to get in my car, a voice called out to me.

"Wait!"

My lips pulled into a smile as he came running back to me. He stopped in front of me and pretended to be out of breath. My smile fell slightly when I noticed it. My denial slowly began to fade away and pain replaced it. There was absolutely no recognition in his eyes.

"I never got your name," he said, rubbing his neck nervously. I bit my lip and looked away.

"It's Victoria. Victoria Hastings. It was nice to meet you," I trailed off, holding back tears.

The boy reached out his hand, brandishing a small phone. I looked at it and laughed, feeling a bit of hope. However, it was crushed once I remembered how young he was.

"I'm Ashton."

 **-o0o-**

I paced across the living room floor with the jacket to my nose like a dope fiend while the others argued. I regretted telling them what happened, but I just couldn't hold in my excitement and..my utter confusion.

"How is this even possible? She told me that she's always been reincarnated as a female. The phoenix is a female enitity for Christ's sake," Rosalie asked, obviously annoyed.

"Maybe it's not her. Maybe this is some sort of faux-mate thing that no ones ever heard of. No! What if the boy has a gift to mimic vampire mates," I asked frantically, thinking I had formed some wonderful hypothesis.

"Someone come smell the jacket."

Alice sighed and flitted over to me. I waited anxiously as she inhaled over and over. She shook her head and I clenched my fists.

"It smells like Ashtan. Very much like Ashtan. He looks just like her too and he has the same name. Isn't that weird," she said, trying to hide her grin. I wanted to smack it off. She totally could have just told me what was going on.

"What's so wrong with Ash being a guy," Emmett blurted out. Rose and I glared at him. "Unless...you're a lesbian."

"She's not a lesbian, Emmett. Right now, she's very bisexual...and slightly perverted," Alice snickered. I growled at her.

"I think Emmett is right, Victoria. There is nothing wrong with Ashtan being reincarnated as a male. If she- If he is your mate, there is nothing we can do about that. Fighting it will only hurt you both once he begins to remember," Carlisle said, annoying me with his sensibility.

"But he's in an orphanage in the middle of the worst neighborhood in L.A.," I complained.

"We can always adopt him, sweety. The humans believe we're a foster family already. It wouldn't be hard to adopt him," Esme said, smiling. I fought to contain my eagerness. I sighed in relief.

"Just become friends with him and when it's time, we'll bring your Ashtan back with us," Carlisle said, obviously overjoyed. I silently wondered if he was excited about having her as a daughter- I mean son. Ugh.

"I'm sorry for what I said earlier. It was insensitive of me. Congratulations," Edward said from his seat at the piano.

I felt bad for him. Now he's the only one without a mate. He grimaced at my thoughts. _Sorry Edward and thank you._

"Thank you guys for helping me all these years. I'm not sorry for being a total depressed bitch."

"If we can handle Rosalie then we can handle you," Jasper joked casually.

Rosalie rolled her eyes as everyone laughed, but I could see her smiling. She was just as happy as I was that I found her old friend. I used to be jealous of their relationship and I feel stupid now. After we grieved together, I can never see her as anything less than a sister.

After a while, I ran upstairs and collapsed on my bed. The pull had intensified a hundred fold since I saw him. Those beautiful brown eyes and that chiseled jaw. I shook the thoughts from my head with a groan. I fought the urge to punch my pillow in frustration.

How could she not remember me? I know my Ashtan is in there somewhere.

I don't know what's worse. Knowing that she's stuck inside a male body and that she'll hate it when she remembers. Or the possibility that she'll never remember who she is. I would have to make her/him fall in love with me all over again. Worse, I would have to teach him about his powers. It would be like raising my mate own mate.

I jump as my phone dings. I curse the butterflies in my stomach as I scramble for my phone. _I totally hadn't been waiting for him to reply_. My lips spread into a smile when I read his text.

 _I'm glad you got home safe. Btw you look nice in my hoodie. -Ashton_

I rolled my eyes at his text, but my bottom lip trembled with emotion. Well, I guess he's not gay, I mused.

 _Careful with the flirting, buddy. I'm too old for you. Aren't you like 17? -Victoria_

 _So what? Does that mean you won't go on a date with me? -Ashton_

I hesitated for a moment, feeling a flurry of euphoric emotions coursing through the bond. This is too good to be true.

 _Let me think about it. -Victoria_

I threw my phone down and buried my face in his jacket, bursting with happiness. I can't deny this pull. I can't deny those eyes. I can't deny that beautiful scent and the way I feel when I think about him.

Even if my Ashtan doesn't remember me, I have no choice but to take care of him whether I'm his friend or more. He is still the phoenix and I am still the phoenix's mate. This is my duty.

I was chosen for a reason.


	18. Imitator

**_Author's Note:_**

 ** _I didn't read the like twenty reviews from last chapter. Lol. I already had this chapter done so I didn't want to read the complaints. Enjoy._**

 **Victoria**

 **Six months later**

Rosalie brushed through my hair carefully as I tried to relax my mind. I've been completely confused for the past six months. I thought I had everything figured out but nothing is ever clean cut when it comes to the supernatural.

"What are you thinking about," Rose asked quietly. I couldn't find the words to explain what I've been feeling. Instead, I fell into a memory.

 _Ashton ran his fingers through my hair gently, lips pressing against mine sloppily. I moaned and pulled him closer to me, his body was so warm. I was still trying to get used to it. I've finally gotten comfortable with the fact that my mate is suddenly a male._

The only problem is that he still hasn't remembered anything yet. He won't even admit to having inhuman abilities.

To be fair, I haven't seen him do anything outrageous yet, besides barely eating. He's weird about that. He picks at his food like it's poisoned. I don't know if my Ashtan was like that as a human.

"My mind has just been really messed up lately," I said distractedly. _That's an understatement._

"You can talk to me about anything."

I've literally tried everything to get him to remember. I've used certain nicknames. I've played our favorite songs. I even snuck and gave him Ashtan's favorite wine. Nothing has worked. I don't understand why.

I'm beginning to think something is off with him but I don't know what it is just yet. It's just so hard for me to think when it comes to him.

 _"Whoa whoa whoa, buddy," I scolded, pulling his hand out of my pants. He rolled his eyes and huffed at me, obviously annoyed._

 _"Don't you think it's a little too early for that?"_

 _"No, I don't actually. You're my girlfriend aren't you. You're supposed to want me," he said, frustrated. I stared at him incredulously. I was shocked by this weird behavior._

 _"Where the hell is this coming from? I thought you were okay with waiting," I said raising my voice at him._

 _His face went stony and I blinked in surprise. He's never looked at me with such anger in the short time I've known him. His eyes turned black and I rubbed my temple._

 _I grimaced. My head was beggining hurt again. Odd. It's been doing that a lot._

 _A confused look flashed across his face before it relaxed into a smile. It didn't reach his eyes._

 _"I'm sorry, love. I'm just having a tough time with work and school. You know, I'm a little stressed out." I narrowed my eyes at him slightly and plopped back on the bed. I didn't have the energy to question his behavior._

 _"It's fine... just relax, alright? We'll get there eventually," I said, trying to hide my discomfort._

 _The image of his eyes turning black flashed through my mind as he wrapped his arms around me. My brain felt foggy as he kissed me. I was too drained to think about anything else._

"Rose, I think something is wrong with Ashton," I said distractedly. I couldn't get that image out of my mind. Rosalie looked at me amusedly and dropped her hair brush.

"What's wrong now? You forgot how to have sex with a man," she said sarcastically.

I could be mad at her. I've been saying this for months. I guess she's gotten used to it. Only now am I able to provide actual evidence.

"I'm dead serious. Something is off about him. He is obsessed with trying to have sex with me and he gets angry when I say no. That's not normal for mates is it? I never felt reluctant with Ashtan."

Rosalie's amusement drained away just like that. She sat down on the bed beside me and grabbed my hand.

"No. That is definitely not normal," she growled. I almost jumped out of my skin. I wasn't expecting her to get so protective.

"He hasn't tried to force you has he?"

"No. It's just...his eyes turned black and he looked murderous when I yelled at him. It was so different from any behavior he's ever shown. One second he's all jokes, the next he's angry," I explained, rubbing my temples. It was a struggle to remember details for some reason. "Something is off."

"Are you okay? What's wrong with your head," Rosalie asked in concern.

Before I could reply, the door burst open. There was an odd panic on Alice's face that I wasn't used to seeing.

"Something is wrong, I can't see Ashton anymore," she said frantically.

I jumped up, feeling the bond pulling me like a noose around my heart. Another odd thing. Before, it was never this forceful. I felt like I would die if I didn't make it to him as fast as possible.

"Let us go with you. Something isn't right here," Alice said in concern. The other Cullens were already on the porch, ready to follow me.

"No, I'm fine. I don't feel any danger."

"I'm not sure about this. Take someone with you, please," Esme pleaded. I winced as the pull became stronger than before.

"Just stay here. I'll bring Ashton back with me if something is going bad. I have to go," I said quickly before bolting away. I gripped my chest as I ran, trying to alleviate the pain.

I shouldn't be feeling something like this from my mate. With Ashtan, I didn't know she was in pain until it was too late. This does not feel anything like that. I have a feeling that I'm being summoned somewhere. I had no idea that was even possible.

The closer I got to him, the more uneasy I became. But I refused to believe my conspiracy theories until I saw it for myself. I smelled his scent and saw my mate in him. He has to be my mate, there's no other way.

To my surprise, the pull did not bring me to the orphanage like I expected it would. I found myself away from the cities and lights altogether. I pushed myself through the forest as fast as possible. I began picking up his scent as I went.

My nostrils flared and I had to stop for a moment. It was potent and pure, very different from the way he normally smelled. I moaned, eyes turning black. I expected my thirst to come but it never did.

Suddenly, the forceful pull vanished in favor of a more natural tug... in a different direction. I ignored it and followed my nose instead. I could not get enough of it.

I shot off towards the scent with new found vigor. I'm sure he's the one now. My mind is playing tricks on me with all of the things I've been through this passed decade. I couldn't wait to see him and make sure he was okay.

I came to a clearing in the forest and stopped, eyes narrowed into slits. A small fire had been started at the edge of the clearing, now it was spreading into a wildfire. I could still smell Ashton's scent. My heart jumped when I saw something move in the distance.

"Ashton? Ashton? Is that you," I called frantically, running towards the fire. A muffled groan met my ears in response.

I was not prepared for what I saw.

"Oh my god," I whispered.

A vampire was tied to a massive tree. His long hair was a weird blood red. More red than my own. He looked like he had been pulled straight out of a fantasy book.

That said, I could not recognize him at all. His body had been ripped in half cleanly. His legs lie in a pile of ashes at my feet. I covered my mouth in horror. His eyes had been burned out of their sockets.

 _Imitator_ was burned into the skin of his chest.

"Kill me," he whispered, reaching toward me with a charred hand. "Kill me, please."

I was stuck in my spot, staring at the words on his chest, trying to understand what the message was. I could still smell my mate everywhere but he was not here. He must have been attacked by this vampire.

"Who did this to you," I asked frantically. "Why would someone do this to you? Tell me, goddamnit!"

The man spat venom at my feet.

"It was that bitch. She ruined it," he growled.

"What? Have you seen a boy name Ashton? I can smell him here," I asked, trying not to resort to violence. The man laughed at me hysterically, even in his horrid state.

"You're a stupid bitch. I almost had you."

I jumped back, clutching my throat as the man slowly morphed into someone else entirely. I jumped away from me like I was burned. Ashton stared back at me with black, gaping holes for eyes. He cackled like some evil cartoon character.

"What the fuck are you?"

A growl rumbled in my chest when I smelled his scent. How could I ever believe it was anything close to my mate's? It smelled artificial and irritating now. My hands clenched into fists. It took everything not to tear into him.

"It's amazing isn't it? The brain is a the weakest organ," he laughed evilly. I want to rip his tongue out but I need answers.

"Why? Why did you do this? What could you possibly have gotten out of this," I growled menacingly.

"You. I wanted you.," he growled.

"What did I ever do to you? I've never met you in my life."

"You couldn't do anything to me. It was her. Look at what she did to me! If you think this is bad. You should have seen her before she met you, childe.

She was something to admire. All brutal strength. No sense of the word mercy. I admired that. Until she took my mate away from me. I vowed to take hers. A mate for a mate," he said, trailing off into a hoarse growl.

 **Unknown POV**

 **1608**

 _I had heard the stories. The great queen of the Volturi, Enyo. The wielder of fire. Every vampire knew the horror stories and only the stupid few dared to break the rules. I was not one of them. But when my mate slipped up, I couldn't let her take the fall alone._

 _"Armand, my child. You've been very bad, haven't you? You thought we wouldn't catch wind of a vampire mated to a lycan," Enyo said from her throne. Just her voice struck fear in me. Those eyes were filled with fire._

 _"The bond is contrived," Marcus said. I glared at him menacingly._

 _"No, brother. Not in his mind," Aro chuckled._

 _"They lie, your grace! We cannot help who we are mated to. My mate was born a Lycan. She cannot change that fact," I pleaded._

 _"Hush now, friend. Even if the bond was real, you know that Lycans are unpredictable. We have banished them for a reason. Your mate only strengthens our reasoning with her rabid attack on that innocent village," Aro said condescendingly._

 _I swallowed back a growl and groveled in front of Enyo, for she was the passer of the sentence._

 _"Please, your grace. Do not take my mate from me. You have to know what this will do to me. I will do anything," I pleaded, dry sobbing like a fool._

 _Her hot hand touched the back of my neck and I looked up hopefully._

 _"You're wrong. I do not know because I have no mate and I never will," she whispered. If my dead heart could beat, it would have stopped._

 _"Bring out the beast."_

 _I screamed as the guards restrained me. My beautiful mate's eyes were filled with tears and they forced her to her knees. I fought to get to her but I didn't stand a chance._

 _"Eliza Ducornau, I hereby sentence you to death for exposing yourself to humans and massacring an entire village. Any last words," Enyo spoke with absolute apathy._

 _"You will rot in hell for this, you bitch," my mate growled menacingly._

 _Enyo stared at her, lips twitching into a dead smile._

 _"I wish that were true... Cinis Cenerum."_

 _I roared as my Eliza burst into flames. Her screams tore at my soul. When only her ashes smoldered on the marble floor, I glared at the evil queen with new found fury._

 _"This is nothing personal, Armand. You will find your true mate eventually if you leave peacefully," Marcus said sympathetically. I ignored him._

 _"You will pay," I whispered breathlessly, my chest felt like it was gaping opened. "I will see you in ruins, witch queen. You will know this loss."_

 _Enyo simply stared at me before flicking her wrist. "We will see."_

 **Victoria**

"I followed her from that day forward. I vowed to take her mate from her in the most vile way. It was not easy to hide from her with her shield but in that time, I saw things I never imagined were possible.

I was ecstatic when I found out you were the bitch's mate. I thought she would never find you. It was only luck that her cycle ended when it did. I took my chance to kill you like she killed my mate," he ranted deliriously, randomly bursting into bouts of laughter. I cringed hard.

"You are bloody insane," I said, completely disgusted.

Hearing him talk about following my mate made my stomach turn. In my mind, she was invincible but now I see that her mind was a volatile place before me. Maybe it always was.

It took a moment for me to gather myself. I couldn't believe what he was saying about my mate. She was never like that when I was around. I frowned. Marcus and Aro did say that she wasn't his real mate. His gift must be a double edged sword. He was obviously insane.

Even if she did kill his mate, that was centuries ago. It sounds like Ashtan was in some sort of deep depression. If I was there, this wouldn't have happened. If I wasn't so vulnerable, I wouldn't have fallen for his mind games.

"That may be true but so were you. I really had you thinking your mate, _a_ _phoenix_ , was some random boy. Think about it, Victoria. With a little time you would have been all mine," he taunted me.

Anger and embarrassment overflowed inside me and I ripped his arm from it's socket. I reveled in his screams. It took everything not to take out my anger on him. I'll never be able to live this down. Ashtan will kill me. I shudder, thinking about the things this creep and I almost did.

"But you failed miserably, dumbass! I never truly believed you. Obviously, something stopped you from controlling me. You should have known better than to fuck with a phoenix's mate," I growled, wrapping my hand around his throat tightly.

"Tell me where she is. Now."

"I don't know where she went and I don't care. Just kill me before I make you do it," he scoffed. I gripped his neck tighter, smirking as he grimaced.

"We both know you're too weak, Armand. Tell me or I'll bury you here and let you petrify," I hissed menacingly.

"She didn't say a word. She just..did this to me and left," he choked, squirming pitifully. I cursed under my breath, but I was impressed with her handiwork.

The fire she started began to inch closer to me and I decided to get this over with. I have to get back and tell the Cullens. By now, they are probably on their way. I dread telling them about this. They were more certain than I was.

"I would like to apologize on behalf of my mate before I kill you, because I know how it feels to lose someone you love. Even if you are a mad fuck," I said, releasing him from my hold. I scowled as he began to laugh.

"Any last words?"

"You are weak. You got lucky, bitch. I hope you're ready for hell because I'm not the only one she's fucked over. Believe me. You'll wish you gave in," he sneered, trying to grab me. I snatched his arm off in one quick pull, leaving him only a torso.

"I recant my apology," I whispered in his ear.

His screams echoed through the forest until I finally ripped his head off his shoulders. I sighed, feeling the haze in my mind fade away completely. I lifted his head up to my face and frowned.

I am angry, yes, but I can't help the relief that floods through me. I wasn't going crazy. I was right the entire time. My mate is out there, alive, and protecting me. I just don't know where she is. I'm almost okay with that. For now.

"You better have a good reason for staying away," I whispered into the smoke filled night.

 **Author's Note:**

 **:p**


	19. Teen Angst

**-o0o-**

The cool wind of the night brushed across my wet skin as I limped across my parent's backyard. Dead leaves crunched loudly under my bare feet. I scurried across the side of the house to my window and opened it as quietly as I could. I held in my pained groans as I pulled myself through.

Once inside, I sighed in relief and fell back on my bed. The sound of footsteps on wooden floors made me cringe. I already knew what I was in for. My door flew open to reveal my parents, looking quite furious. I stared at them blankly. This is routine by now.

"Where the hell have you been? And why the hell are you soaking wet," father asked angrily.

"I went for a swim," I said, shrugging. My nonchalance only made them more irritated. I don't care.

"Really? Swimming? You can't keep sneaking out, Danielle. Anything could happen to you and we wouldn't know until it's too late,"my mother scolded.

"That's not my name."

"We've been over this. Danielle is your name until you turn eighteen and change it legally. End of story," my father said exasperatedly. I rolled my eyes. I'm sick of this.

"You're grounded for a month. No phone. No Xbox. No car privileges. You will be in directly after basketball practice. Understood?"

"I get it," I sighed, pretending to be complacent.

They looked skeptical, for good reason. They know this won't stop me from doing whatever I want, regardless. I have things to do and a lot of people to take care of.

I have no time for phones or gaming systems or being grounded. But I'll let them comfort themselves with their useless punishments before I leave for good. They haven't been horrible parents to me. It's the least I can do.

"Alright, sweetheart. We love you," my mother said, kissing me on the forehead. I fought not make any pained noises as my father hugged me.

I shot them a smile as they left my room. When the door closed, it fell away instantly. I ripped off my wet clothes and went into my bathroom to assess my injuries.

I traced the bruise on my rib cage and winced when I poked it. It almost unnoticeable against my brown skin but it was hiding fractured ribs.

Three long scratches lie upon my chest, red and angry. Nothing too bad. They had already began to heal quite quickly, but not fast enough for my liking. I'm much too accustomed to vampirism now.

I rolled my eyes. _Fuck mortality._

"Whatever. The other guy has it much worse." I smirked, thinking about my handiwork. "I wonder if he's still alive. Asshhole."

I reached underneath my mattress and pulled out a small phone. I need to get in touch with Carlisle and Aro before shit hits the fan. Hopefully my absence will keep the Cullens safe for now.

However, I don't intend to keep laying low for long. Nobody fucks with my mate.

"Thank you for calling the Volturi castle. My name is Gianna," the receptionist said with a cheerful Italian accent.

I nearly laughed. Another snack for Felix and Demetri.

"This is Enyo. Get Aro on the phone right now," I said, leaving no room for discussion.

"Who? Oh! Y-Yes, your grace. Of course."

 **Victoria**

As soon as I walked into the living room, the Cullens stared at me like I had two heads. Technically, I did. I held it up to them before dropping it on the floor. From the sad looks on their faces, I could tell that Alice had already let them in on the situation.

I couldn't find it in me to talk to talk them about it. Instead, I ignored them and bolted to my room. I was utterly embarrassed for myself and for almost bringing a traitor into their home. I cringed just thinking about the possibilities.

I groaned when knuckles rapped on my bedroom door. I just want to be alone and wallow in my self pity. When I didn't reply, Emmett yelled through the door.

"You might want to come downstairs, Vicky! Ashtan- Um, the real Ashtan, is on the phone with Carlisle-"

I was out of the door in seconds. I almost trampled poor Emmett to get downstairs.

When I ran into the living room, everyone was surrounding Carlisle as he quietly spoke to my mate. I could hear her voice and it made my body thrum. However, she sounded completely different and...young.

"-They plan to overthrow the Volturi. Starting with me, of course. With me gone, they have upped their chances of sitting on our thrones a hundred fold," she whispered into the phone.

I sat down in a daze. I can't take in this information knowing that my mate is on the phone. That she's actually alive and she remembers.

"Was Armand apart of this plot? What would they want with Victoria," Carlisle asked quickly. I silently thanked him.

"They assumed that if they had Victoria, they could control me. They almost had her but our bond was her only savior. It took me longer than it should have to get any information out of him but I got what I needed with a little torture," she laughed.

It was off putting to hear her talking about toture in that young sounding voice.

I couldn't help but smile hearing her say my name. Maybe she won't be too angry with me. She understands that it wasn't my fault, surely.

"I've already talked to my brothers. They know what's going on and they are readying the guard in case of an abush. However, the Romanians are coming your way next because you have Victoria.

Get with the wolves. Gather as many vampires as you can against them. I will be gathering my own allies from around the world."

"I understand. We will do anything in our power to keep Victoria safe. She is apart of this family now," Carlisle said adamantly. My heart warmed hearing him confirm my feelings. But I was beginning to get scared for Ashtan.

"Thank you all. I know this a lot to ask and I will not forget your efforts," she said before pausing. Her next words made me jump.

"Let me speak to Victoria before I have to go."

They all smiled at me softly as I took the phone. My heart was thumping in my ears. I couldn't contain my nerves. I felt like I had failed her in the most horrible way. I almost cheated, no, I basically cheated on her. On our bond. Tears welled in my eyes when she began to speak.

"Victoria, I know how you're feeling right now. I can feel your fear and worry, your self hatred. It is not your fault," she said softly. I couldn't hold back the sob that ripped through me. I miss her so much.

"It's alright. It's alright. I don't blame any of you. The sick fuck was obsessed with me. Once Vladimir and Stefan got to him, it was only a matter of time before he came after you. Keep your head, okay?"

"Okay. When will I see you again? I feel like I'm going crazy. I don't want you out there alone. You're still only human," I said, trying to keep myself from begging her to come back.

"I can't promise you anything but I will be sending some of my old friends your way soon. And don't worry about me. I've been semi human for eons for I became a vampire. I can handle myself," Ashtan laughed quietly. I rolled my eyes at her bravado.

"I'm sorry but I have to go before my parents come and chew me out. I'm grounded again." The Cullens snickered quietly, probably trying to alleviate the heaviness in the room.

"Okay..I love you, Ash," I said quietly. I did not want to hang up. So many things could happen that I would have no idea about. I don't think I can handle losing her again.

"As I love you, Victoria. We will be together again soon. I won't allow anyone to take you away from me again. Be safe," she said quietly. I could feel her anger through the bond.

When she hung up the phone, we all had to take a minute to think about what we were just told. While they were talking about plans to protect me and themselves, I was up in my room, thinking about Ashtan. My beautiful mate, so stubborn and protective.

I hate to say it, but I would sacrifice every person on this planet to never have her leave me again. I know when it comes down to it, every vampire here would do the same for their mates. And I can't blame them for that.

"You're afraid," Edward said quietly. I barely heard him come in, I was so lost in my mind.

"I'm afraid for Ashtan. I'm afraid all of us."

"But mostly Ashtan. Your thoughts about her are the loudest...You don't have to worry about her." I looked at him oddly, wondering where he was going with this.

"I've only seen into her mind once but it nearly broke me. If she can live for several millennia with a mind filled to the brim with pain and death, she can destroy anything in her path. I would be more afraid for her enemies."

"She's my best friend, my mate. I can't stop myself from worrying. A whole army is coming for her," I said, shaking my head. The gravity of our situation was weighing on me heavily.

"They're coming for you as well. You're not afraid for yourself?" I didn't have to think about it at all.

"No," I said, looking him in the eye. Edward seemed confused by this and I didn't understand why.

"I will never understand mating no matter how many minds I read," he sighed, moving towards the door.

I wanted tell him that he would one day, that it would be the most beautiful experience, but I'm not Alice. I refuse to give him false hope. I know now that all of us were lucky to find our mates but it is a double edged sword.

However, the more I thought about it, the more I wanted him to understand why I was not afraid.

"Goodnight, Victoria."

"Wait," I said quietly. Edward turned around and looked at me questioningly.

I struggled to find the words that would encompass everything I've been feeling since I laid eyes on Ashtan so many years ago.

"It's like...finding yourself in another person. She is my mirror," I whispered. I feared that he still wouldn't understand what I was trying to say.

"A twin flame," he said wistfully.

I could see the wheels turning in his mind and I smiled as he did. Something inside me told me he was thinking about his future mate. If we live through this, I want to see that the day that he meets them.

"Thank you," he said, smiling that lopsided smile.

I watched him leave, feeling like I had accomplished something good in all of this chaos. I collapsed back onto my bed and closed my eyes, thinking about this fucked up situation.

I don't know what is going to happen. I don't know if I'm going to survive or if any of us are. What I do know is, I won't go down without a fight. I will not let some old dracula wannabes destroy this family or my family in Volterra. Most definitely, not my mate.

My lips pull into a smile just thinking about what Edward said earlier. _I would be afraid for her enemies._ I let myself laugh for the first time in a long time. I've never seen my mate angry but I cannot wait to see her destruction.

I would rather see the world burn than to see a world without her in it.


	20. Wanna Go On An Adventure?

**Author's Note: I appreciate all of the reviews and followers of all of my stories. I've only been writing for a few months so I'm rather new. Thank you all for sticking around. I hope you guys are having a good new year. Just wanted to say that.**

 **Ashtan**

The Arizona sun shone down on my back as I waited outside the school. Disgusting human sweat clung to my skin and I shifted uncomfortably. The only thing I hate about basketball, I mused.

I rolled my eyes when I remembered that I couldn't go back home just to change clothes. At this rate, I'll have time to run there and come back. I shot Jane an angry text and sat down on the curb to wait.

I groaned as my teammate's car pulled up beside me. She rolled down the window and her horrible pop music nearly made me cringe. Taylor Swift. Really?

"Hey, Dany! You need a ride? You don't live far from me," Beth said, smiling.

"I'm fine. My dad will here in a second. He's just late," I said passive aggressively. When they get here, I'm chewing them the fuck out.

"Alright. Call me if he doesn't come! I don't want you out here in this heat." I had to laugh at that one.

"I'm fine, Beth, really," I chuckled.

I narrowed my eyes as a black SUV pulled into the school parking lot. I immediately knew it was them. I scoffed. It looked like something the secret service would drive the president around in.

"See you later. He's here," I called, already jogging away. I couldn't care less about whatever else she had to say.

Jane rolled down her window halfway and stared at me for a few moments. My anger slowly drained away seeing her look so confused. Felix and Demetri were no better. They never got used to my reincarnations.

"Get in. You better not be an imposter," she snarked. I grinned at her and hopped into the backseat, ready to leave my boring human life for good.

"Armand is long gone now. There can only one phoenix and I'm not going anywhere anytime soon."

"Good. We've missed you, Mistress. The kings are so boring. They wouldn't let us come and find you," Felix whined, whipping around corners like a madman.

"Then get ready to be thoroughly entertained. We're going hunting for some old friends of mine. Very old friends."

"Thank the gods. I haven't had anything to do since you died the last time," Demetri said excitedly.

"My only question is...will there be any fighting or pummeling of any kind," Felix asked innocently, glancing at me in the rear view mirror.

I rolled my eyes and looked out the window.

"If you think you've been bored, try being stuck in a teenage body for nearly seventeen years."

"Good. I'm tired of torturing prisoners. I want a real fight," Jane said monotonously.

I groaned as my stomach grumbled loudly. The vampires all turned towards me with concerned eyes. I was amused by their ignorance.

"I'm just hungry. Jesus. Stop at that gas station so I can get some food," I laughed.

"If that's what human hunger sounds like, I'm so sorry. It sounded like a dying werewolf," Felix snickered. I glared at him playfully and rubbed my empty stomach.

I jumped out of the car quickly when we stopped. I could already smell the fried goodness inside. When I came back out with my food, I bumped into someone hard. The girl stumbled back and I quickly steadied her.

"I'm so sorry! You alright?"

The girl blushed violently when she looked up at me and I blinked in surprise. She looked familiar. So familiar that a memory of a little girl flashed into my mind. Brown eyes and a distinctly delectable scent.

I grinned discretely when I noticed what she was wearing. A loose flannel with a nirvana t shirt, total alternative vibes. I like it. However, the Celtic knot necklace around her neck gave me pause. _She still has it. Interesting._

"Yeah, I'm alright. I just wasn't watching where I was going," she laughed nervously.

Her eyes narrowed suddenly and I became apprehensive. I don't look like I did when I met her but I'm not that different. The only real difference is my height and my hair. I don't need her recognizing me right now.

"You're Danielle Gallagher, right? Our only good basketball player?" A wave of relief washed over me and I laughed quietly.

"Yeah, that's me. I'm sorry. I don't know your name," I lied smoothly. She stuck her hand out and I shook it firmly.

"It's cool. I'm Bella Swan. I hang out with the weirdos so I understand," she said casually.

I nodded, feeling utterly stupid. We could've been friends but I was too busy being an angsty jock. Now I have to say goodbye and I definitely won't see her again this time.

"It was nice see- meeting you, Bella."

"Nice seeing you again."

I was slightly alarmed when I got into the car. What did she mean by that? Did she remember? She was only seven, at the most, when we met.

"Who was that human? Do I need to inform Victoria about your infidelity," Jane asked jovially. I was so shell shocked that I couldn't joke back.

"Just a classmate.."

They looked concern for a moment before I began eating. Suddenly, all of the windows were being opened and vampires were gagging. I ignored them and stuffed my face.

"Where to first boss," Felix said, holding his nose. I swallowed my food and gurgled water obnoxiously.

"The airport. Demetri and you will stay in America and gather all of the nomads that you can find. Make sure to send them to Carlisle. Jane and I will go and find my old comrades.

We will meet back at the Cullen's home in two weeks time. I have a feeling that Dracula one and two will have a bigger army than us. But they definitely won't have the best soldiers."

"Yes, mistress."

 **-o0o-**

The plane ride to Africa was filled with anxiety for me. I hadn't been back in my home country in a millennia. Jane's complaining about my eating habits didn't help either.

Once we got our feet on solid ground, she was even more annoyed and so was I. My human speed was not fast enough, even with my heightened speed. I was beginning to think that I should have brought Felix along to carry me like old times.

It took Jane a few hours to get me to let her do it. I felt uncomfortable with a tiny girl carrying me through the Congo, but I had no other choice. She wouldn't let me live it down either. I ignored her and listened to the sounds of the forest.

The coven I'm looking for are known for blending into the trees like the native animals. Which, for me, is not good at all. I won't know they're attacking until I'm bleeding out on the wet forest floor.

"Alright, stop."

Jane sat me back on my feet and looked around in confusion. We were deep in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by silence and the distant sound of various animals fleeing.

"Who the hell are we looking for? There is no one here," Jane said. I shushed her harshly.

" _Congo coven, if you are watching, we come in peace. I am Asha. Enyo. The Phoenix. I come to ask for your services,"_ I said in a language long dead.

"What was that? I've never heard that before," Jane whispered curiously.

"Sanskrit."

The sound of feet pounding on against the forest floor reached ours ears soon after. Jane crouched in front of me protectively and I shook my head.

"If they wanted to try and kill me, you wouldn't be able to stop them."

Jane blinked at me and straightened herself slowly. She struggled not to give into her instincts as they got closer. It sounded like a stampede but once they appeared in front of us, it was only four vampires. Three female and one male.

They stared at us with muddy brown eyes. The mixture of human and animal blood. There dark skin was oddly pale, but a normal human could never tell. If I was not fortunate enough to be who I am, I would think they were just apart of a local tribe.

"You are Asha? I don't believe it. You're not African enough," Ucheche said in rough English. I struggled not to roll my eyes at her.

" _Fuck you,"_ I laughed.

"Why else would the witch twin be with her," Nazeem quipped, crossing his arms over his broad chest.

"What do you say, sister? Is it her," Akuna asked, leaning against a tree casually. My lips pulled into a smirk. They were obviously fucking with me.

"It's her alright. She even smells the same. And that aura is as dark as ever."

I jumped as Zuri appeared in front of me sniffing me like a dog. Jane let loose a small growl, causing their eyes to snap towards her like the predators they are. I coughed harshly, bringing their attention back to me.

"I need your help. A war is on the horizon," I said seriously. As the coven leader, Ucheche stepped forward to hear me out.

"The Romanian coven has decided they want to take Volterra once and for all. They want me dead and they want my mate dead. If they take the throne, they will reveal themselves to the humans. Can you imagine the destruction that would follow? I can."

Anger overtook their features as they communicated between themselves. I never did get used to their odd ways when I spent time with them. Voodoo is not something I ever felt comfortable playing with.

"We cannot say no to you, Asha," Uchche said, squeezing my shoulder rather hard. I winced discreetly and she smiled apologetically.

"We are still in debt to you."

"No. I told you. You don't owe me anything," I argued but they wouldn't have it.

"You won't change our minds, old friend. Tell us what we need to do," Nazeem said, smiling.

My heart warmed for them. I hadn't seen them in centuries and yet they still held loyalty to me. I could only hope that the rest of my old friends felt the same way.

However, with the elusive Congo coven on my side, I have already secured a massive alliance. Their connections rival mine due to their age and status in the vampire world. With my reputation tainted by my time with the Volturi, I need to count my blessings.

I asked them to get the word out and gather their allies. Once that was accomplished, head to Volterra. I thanked them profusely before I left because they are putting themselves in risk for me and my mate.

Even if Vladimir and Stefan hadn't threatened to reveal their secret, I would still be asking for their help. And inside, I feel that they still would have been there for me.

"I don't trust them, mistress," Jane muttered as we made our way back to civilization. "That was way too easy."

"They think they owe me their lives and the old ways are binding. A debt unpaid is a debt you will repay tenfold in the next life," I explained quietly, remembering my time with them.

I could see the wheels turning in Jane's mind, so I elaborated.

"I saved Ucheche and Nazeem from a group of newborn vampires many years ago. Of course, it ended in them becoming what they are but they came to love it. Seeing as they found their mates through their immortality."

"You've changed many lives," she said wistfully. I shook my head, refusing to allow any admiration.

"I've ruined many as well. You'll see just how many soon enough."

Once we managed to get on a plane to our next destination, I ate and slept the entire ride. I had forgotten just how inconvenient being human really is after being a vampire for years. I found a new appreciation for my many adventures before I was turned.

We traveled to across most of Europe and Russia trying to gather allies. Many of the vampires we came across were too terrified when they saw Jane to even realize who I was. They headed straight for Volterra without any hesitation.

Many of my oldest friends knew it was me immediately. My signature smell was enough to let them know. While others needed a demonstration. However, I was subtly disheartened to find out that some of them had already joined Vladimir and Stefan.

I was not surprised though. I had learned to expect situation like this long ago. Not much surprises me anymore. If I didn't have a mate and a family to worry about, this whole situation would be nothing. But having something to lose scares me more than anything ever has.

The day before our meet up, my nerves were at an all time high. I couldn't find it in me to sleep on the plane ride to Seattle. I had tried to erase Victoria from my mind in every facet except for protecting her, but my body screamed for her every day.

Now, I'm so close that I can't ignore the bond anymore. Seventeen years of separation has taken its toll on me.

"Can you stop shaking your leg," Jane whispered, trying not to sound too harsh and failing. I apologized distractedly.

"Are you okay? Are you hungry? The human will be back with food soon." I chuckled quietly.

"I'm not hungry, Jane. I'm just..nervous about seeing V again."

"Why? Aren't you supposed to be happy to see your mate," she asked, confused. I sighed and looked out over the sea of clouds beneath us.

"I'm ecstatic. I'm over the moon. That's the problem. I've never had anything that made me so happy before. Now that I do, she is in danger. All because I'm her mate. I feel like she would be better off if I was gone, but I could never leave her. I feel like I've failed as her mate."

Jane was quiet for a while. I could tell she wasn't used to emotionally charged conversations.

"You haven't failed her, mistress. The only thing you can do is fight until she's safe. I have no doubt in my mind that Victoria will," Jane muttered awkwardly.

I smiled at her and ruffled her hair, trying not to show how much her words affected me.

Because she is right. I knew long ago that my mate would be the target of every person I had wronged. I knew that one day I would have to go through this. I just didn't know how horrible I would feel for putting her through it. I hope she doesn't look at me differently.

Before I could prepare mentally, we were off the plane and being picked up by Felix and Demetri. I nodded along numbly as they filled us in on the nomads that they managed to wrangle.

I was pleased with their work but I couldn't pay attention as we turned into the drive way. My heart began to thump hard in my chest as we pulled up. I could already see her coming outside. Jane smiled at me as best as she could.

"Go get your mate."


	21. Why can't I get you alone?

**Ashtan**

I got out of the car and took deep breaths to calm myself as I made my way up to the house. The last time I was here, I had died. I hadn't had the chance to reassure my mate. I hadn't had the chance to tell her I loved her and that she didn't have to worry. I can't even imagine what she went through.

"Ashtan? Is that really you?"

Her voice was so full of emotion that it nearly broke me. I forgot how much I missed it. Tears welled in my eyes and I forced them back. I need to be strong for the both of us.

When I looked up, I was not prepared. Years of seperation and pain fell away. Her green eyes widened as the bond flared in intensity. Her hands clenched like she was struggling to keep from grabbing me.

It was like we were meeting each other for the first time. Euphoria flooded through my entire. My heart thumped against my chest and my vision zoned in on her in an instant. In the back of my mind, I wondered if she had felt this when she was human.

Before I could blink, cool arms wrapped around me snugly. Victoria sobbed and buried her head in my neck, breathing in my scent deeply.

I struggled not to cry as we held each other. I felt like I had waited eons to be back in her arms again. I felt content already. Like I had been searching for my home for the last seventeen years. Her arms welcomed me like an open door.

"Oh my god, I've missed you so much," she whispered, crushing me against her chest. I couldn't contain myself anymore. My tears fell slowly as I nuzzled into her neck.

"I missed you too."

Victoria pulled away and grabbed my face in her hands, wiping my tears with her thumbs. She smiled at me brightly and I couldn't contain my own.

Even with these weak eyes, she is still the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. I couldn't even think about taking my eyes off of her. I forgot how much I enjoyed just looking at her.

"I like this new look. You're even hotter than before. How is that even possible," she joked, sniffing her tears away. I laughed and leaned into her again.

"You just like that we're the same height and you're alright, I guess."

I looked around and noticed the Cullens were outside now, watching us. Alice and Rosalie looked like they were about to die if I didn't say something to them. The others were having an equally hard time trying to contain themselves.

"It's actually you this time. I totally knew you wouldn't settle for a penis," Rosalie said sarcastically as we made my way over to them. I could feel her happiness strongly.

"You know me so well, Rose. I've missed you guys."

We were both quickly surrounded with love and support. For the first time in seventeen years, I felt true happiness. I have my mate. I have the Cullens. I have some of my Volturi family here with me. But, the fear of losing them lurked in my mind.

Through the smiles and laughter, I maintain a certain level of disillusion. I can't let myself lower my guard. I pretended not to notice Victoria's concerned glances and focused on making them happy for now. Later, I will burst this little bubble of optimism.

I was hit with a load of deja vu when we entered the house. There were so many familiar faces that I could barely catch up with all of them. They dominated my time so much that I lost track of Victoria.

Thankfully, Esme pulled me away from the sea of vampires and placed food in front of me. I silently thanked her, looking around for my mate. When Victoria sat down beside me looking rather irritated, I felt horrible for letting myself get pulled away when we just reunited.

"There she is! My favorite ball of flames. How'd you go from ashes to sexiness so quick," Kate exclaimed as she and her sisters strolled into the house. Victoria tensed beside me and I wrapped my arm around her.

"I'm your favorite now? You did try to kill me, remember? Are we over that already?"

"You saved me the trouble and did it yourself. That makes you okay in my book. No hard feelings," she shrugged.

"I apologize on me and my sisters' behalf. We were really wrong about what happened," Tanya said sincerely, obviously talking more to Victoria. Confusion washed over me. I didn't understand why they were here.

"You and your coven are going to be fighting _for_ the Volturi? Did I miss something," Victoria said, looking around dramatically. I snickered quietly.

"We're not fighting for the Volturi. We are fighting for secrecy. We like our way of life very much and we want to keep it the way it is," Irina said, side eyeing Jane from across the room. I felt something odd coming from her.

Before I could say anything, she was gone. Her sisters followed her out the door. A deeply sad look came over Jane's face as she watched her leave. I watched this whole exchange and sighed heavily. I don't know what is going on anymore.

"Do you want to go upstairs," Victoria asked in concern, rubbing my arm.

Instead of answering, I quickly pulled her up the stairs. I just wanted privacy like we used to have. There are too many eyes lurking around for my liking. We've had no time at all to talk and catch up.

When we entered Victoria's room, our room, I smiled. It was exactly the same as I left it. Her smell permeated the entire room, making me feel at ease. She pulled me on the bed without warning and wrapped herself around me like a snake.

"I almost ripped so many heads off down there. You don't understand," she said in annoyance. I closed my eyes as her lips pressed against my neck.

"I'm sorry. I would have let you if it wasn't for this whole situation. We need all the allies we can get," I whispered distractedly.

Her fingers tickled across my skin, making my body heat up. Suddenly, she stopped moving altogether. I pulled away in concern.

"What's wrong?"

Victoria lifted my arm up to my face and traced her fingertip across the scars on my wrist. The look on her face was heartbreaking.

"It's not what you think," I said quickly. She raised a perfect brow at me.

"I'm serious. It wasn't really me. Before I rememebered who I was, I was an angsty little thing. I just didn't understand why I was going through so much pain. It was stupid."

"I should have been there," she said quietly. I couldn't stand seeing her so sad.

"No, it's okay. Everything happened the way it was supposed to. We're together now and it's going to stay that way. I swear."

She cupped my face in her hands and pressed our foreheads together. My breath caught in my throat. Anticipation thrummed through my body. It's been so long since I've tasted her.

"I'm not letting you leave me again," she whispered against my lips. Her sweet breath made my head swim and I couldn't control myself any longer.

"Good."

Our lips came together hard, sending a wave of heat through my body. She straddled me slowly and pushed me back on the bed. Our hands were everywhere, gripping and rubbing, trying to satisfy this horrible longing that still remained.

I moaned as her fangs tickled across my neck. My hips bucked into her subconsciously. Victoria groaned quietly and nipped my skin. I wanted her fangs to pierce through. I wanted her to fuck me within an inch of my sanity.

Instead, she stopped.

"Wait. How old are you," she asked quietly. She looked like a snack, leaning over me with that wild hair everywhere.

"I lost count. Now, shut up and fuck me," I growled. Victoria cocked a red brow at me and I rolled my eyes. "Seventeen. I'm basically legal. Not that you really care."

"You're right," she chuckled, slipping her hand into my pants. I closed my eyes and smirked, ready to play.

They shot right back open when a hard knock echoed through my room.

"Come outside, lovebirds! We're starting a bonfire," Rosalie called through the door.

We both groaned in annoyance.

"We're coming," Victoria called, collapsing on top of me. I didn't want to get up either.

"I hope not. We're going over plans. You can fuck each other later."

Just like that, our little bubble of happiness was popped once again. Out of all my abilities, empathy, telepathy, all of it, I wished I had teleportation in that moment. I didn't want to deal with this right now. But my more rational side was already out of the bed. Any chance I had to keep everyone safe was enough for me.

We were surrounded by vampires of all ages, appearances, and gifts. Most of them I had met on my travels. Others I was just meeting. To my delight, Victoria had made many friends in my absence. That helped me keep a modicum of optimism as I slipped into my old role as Enyo.

"Have you seen anything of consequence," I asked Alice, warming my hands in the fire.

"Vlad and Stefan are annoyingly good at keeping me out but I have managed to see that they plan to send us a message. What that message is? I don't know," Alice sighed. I nodded, trying to figure out a way to gain more insight.

"Any time I try to look into it, I draw a blank. It's not even that they're changing they're minds too quickly. It's like trying to see one of the wolves. It's just black."

"Damn it. Maybe they have their own shifters or worse," Joseph said wistfully. I hummed, thinking about the possibilities.

"Werewolves," Victoria chimed in. I blinked in surprise. I could see Jane and Felix shuddering beside me.

"I haven't seen a true werewolf since I killed Armand's sadistic girlfriend. That was five centuries ago."

"They could still be out there. If you can be lurking around for thousands of years disguised as a human, a few werewolves could as well," Garrett bursted into the conversation out of nowhere. I grinned a little bit. I always like the guy.

"Let's assume they are werewolves and let's assume their army is around a thousand, factoring in gifts and age. What is the game plan," Peter said from his spot beside Jasper.

I tried not to allow my age old bloodthirstiness to surface, but people never really change. I'm no exception. Just seeing Jasper, Peter, and Charlotte reminded me of a better time. When I was free and fearless. I miss that.

"If it were all up to me, I would say we lure Vlad and his army out into a trap. With the guise of a fair. Have the wolves and half the army behind them to instill false hope," I explained casually, pulling flames from the bonfire. Benjamin watched me with a smirk upon his face and did the same thing.

"I would encircle them in fire once they're numbers have been knocked down just enough. Then, Benjamin will open up the ground and we will both envelope them in glorious flames as you all watch in awe."

They were silent when I finished. Obviously they were completely okay with my improvised plan. I rolled my eyes and went on.

"That is the basic outline of the plan. We need to be ready for plan z and even more if need be. Jasper, Garrett, Charlotte, and the Denalis, I want you all to begin tearing apart my plan and adding more components to fight against any attack you can think of," I ordered.

"I want everyone training in combat. That means everyone, the wolves especially. I will be trainining as well. Jane, Felix, Demetri, Victoria, and I will be the main instructors. Alice, keep me updated on any new information. Any questions?"

I sighed as questions were fired at me from over five hundred vampires. Victoria laughed and tightened her arm around me.

"Shut up! Listen," Alistair shouted suddenly, sending us all into complete silence.

The sound of a distant stampede echoed in my ears. My entire body coiled up instinctively and Victoria crouched in front of me protectively. I took one look at Jasper and knew what was going on.

"I didn't see this," Alice whispered in distress.

"We have no time to feel bad for ourselves. Get in a row formation head on! Wolves, turn! Whoever this is isn't coming to play," I commanded.

As the sound got closer, my chosen leaders and I got everyone as ready as we could. Loud growls echoed through the forest as the army got closer.

"It's definitely werewolves. Just our fucking luck. Remember. Their backs are vulnerable. Snap the neck or rip the head off. Oh and stay away from the teeth and claws," I said in annoyance, standing in the vanguard.

Excitement zinged through my body.

"If you get hurt, I swear on bloody Christ," Victoria said angrily. They were getting closer by the second.

"I love you too, Tor. Stay beside me please."

As soon as they burst through the trees in all their monstrous glory, I ordered my army forward with a battle cry. The phoenix was just close enough to the surface as to not destroy everything in sight. My lips pulled into a smirk.

I charged forward with Victoria by my side. While she slashed and crushed her target, I burned them alive. Power flowed through my veins as I razed the gigantic beasts to the ground.

I was surprised by how many of them their were. When I took a second to look around, everyone was busy with their own werewolf. I threw myself back into the fight with my mate at my back, dodging claws and allowing my flames to flow free from my hands.

I grunted as a shooting pain erupted in my arm. I ignored it as best as I could and sprayed the large beast with flames. My eyes lit up as I watched it die. But the deep claw marks in my arm made me grind my teeth. I could see the muscles in my bicep flexing.

"Are you okay," Victoria asked in concern. When she saw the marks, rage and sadness came over her features. She didn't want to see me become one of these things and neither did I.

However, my heart stopped stopped when I looked over her shoulder. Four werewolves were charging towards us at full speed. Time seeemed to slow down for me. The sheer instinct to protect my mate overpower every other thought in my mind.

Victoria was already moving, charging towards the one in the middle with the agility of a wild cat. I extended my arms toward the other three and allowed my fire to reach out and grab them. Their shrieking was music to my ears.

When all four of them dropped dead, I sighed in relief and got back into the fight. My mind was so focused on Victoria and eliminating any threat to her that I forgot to spare one and get information.

When I killed my last werewolf, I looked around for more. To my delight, Jasper, Felix, and a couple others had one pinned to the ground. I silently thanked them when I made my way over.

"Do you want me to do it," Edward said, covering his nose in disgust. I chuckled at him.

"No. I need to see for myself," I said, squatting down next to the thrashing beast.

The beast's massive jaws snapped at me hungrily and I ignored it. I stared into it's eyes deeply until it stopped moving altogether and whispered into it's mind.

 _"Turn back. Now."_

The vampires holding down the beast watched in shock as it's bones began to snap and shift. I found myself becoming intrigued when I noticed it was a woman, however, a familiar woman.

"Isn't that the bartender from the club? Jules," Victoria asked incredulously. I glared at the frightened girl as she tried to get free.

"You took the words right out of my mouth."


	22. Why can’t I get you alone? 2

- _Continued from last chapter._

 **Ashtan**

When I took off my flannel and placed it over Jules' naked body, the others looked at me oddly. They were obviously curious about how we knew the girl and why I wasn't torturing her.

"Jules, you remember me? You were stalking me and my mate at the club that day, weren't you," I asked, smirking a little bit. Her eyes flicked from me to Victoria wildly.

"I was just doing what I was told then and I am now. I couldn't go against my alpha. Just please don't kill me. I'll tell you anything you want to know," Jules said frantically. I could feel her fear radiating outward.

"Nobody is going to hurt you. We're all friends here," my tongue felt numb as I spoke.

My body suddenly experienced a flash of heat and I gripped my head. I felt like I was about to pass out. My vision blurred and all I could hear was concerned chatter.

Victoria steadied me and I leaned against her heavily. I took deep breaths to try and get my body to calm down. They looked at me in concern and I ground my teeth. They stared at my wound like it was a death sentence.

"Alright, Jules. Let everyone in on what's going on. I need to lie down," I muttered tiredly. Victoria picked me up into her arms immediately.

"You're turning," Jules whispered, blue eyes as wide as saucers. I ignored the outraged whispers of the vampires and held onto my mate.

"No. She is not becoming one of you. I won't let it happen," Victoria gritted out. I almost laughed at her prejudice but I didn't have the energy.

She carried me up to our room as fast as she could and laid me down on the bed gently. Sweat drenched my entire body as she began to rip my clothes off.

"I knew you couldn't resist me you pervert," I joked breathlessly. She simply glared at me.

"I told you not to get hurt damn it and what do you do? You get fucking hurt," she scolded.

I rolled my eyes and just shut up. I couldn't tell her that I was too focused on her to protect myself. That would be an excuse. A valid excuse, but still.

"Do you remember what I taught you," I asked quietly. My head was swimming. I just wanted to get this done and stop feeling so sick.

Victoria straddled me and bit into her wrist hard. The smell of her blood made me lick my lips. She placed it in front of me hurriedly. I grabbed it immediately and began to drink like a fiend.

"Good girl. Keep drinking," she whispered, fingers running through my hair. It was almost sensual.

She tasted so good that I didn't want to stop. It was like the most decadent substance I've ever tasted. So much different from when I was a vampire. I couldn't stop my deep moans from resonating outward.

"Alright, that's enough," she said, trying to rip her arm away. I tried to hold on but I was too weak. "I'm so sorry about this but I have to do it. I love you."

I closed my eyes as she gripped my head in her hands. She was so gentle and loving that I almost thought she wasn't going to do it. However, as soon as I began to open my eyes, her hands twisted violently.

Everything went black but this time there was no light.

 **Victoria**

"Fuck fuck fuck," I whispered, holding Ashtan to my chest. "Please wake up soon baby. Please."

Her body was cold against mine and I felt broken. When I saw that she had been wounded by that horrid beast, I nearly lost it. I just got her, I'm not about to let her die again. Nor will I let her turn into one of those feral dogs.

The sound of Jules talking reached my ears and I sighed. I kissed Ashtan's lips gently and held her close to me for a moment. She was limp in my arms, but I could smell my blood working on the virus in her body.

"I'll be right back, I promise. I have to see what's going on," I whispered, kissing her one last time.

As I walked up to them, everyone was surrounding the girl trying to get details. I pushed through without any care to get some answers for myself. I wanted to rip the girl's head off for even being here but I restrained myself for the moment.

"What did this Lucian send y'all here for? He must have known it would be a blood bath. There was no way you could have won," Jasper said in confusion.

"We couldn't go against him if we wanted to. The alpha command is too strong. He sent us here for..Victoria. He wasn't expecting Enyo to be here," Jules said trailing off awkwardly as I stared at her.

"Do you have any affiliation with Vladimir and Stefan? Tell us what they're planning," I asked aggressively, cutting to the chase. I could care less about her alpha.

A confused look came across her face.

"I don't know those names. All I know is that Lucian called a pack meeting and ordered us to come here and take you by force. I didn't even know why he ordered me to watch you guys at the bar."

I facepalmed and debated on whether or not to kill her. If she can't give me any information on Vlad's plans, What is she still here for? I made my choice advanced on her.

"Wait. I might have something," Alice said frantically. When I looked over at her, she was frozen in place. Her eyes were distant and blank as she was sucked into a vision.

"She's seeing Vlad and Stefan," Edward announced. I fidgeted as I waited for him to go on. All of the chatter around me made me even more nervous.

"I see snow covered mountains. Two armies facing each other. Fire everywhere. A massive castle. Wait...We have one week to get to Volterra. All of us. Everyone, listen. Gather everything you have, we are leaving when Ashtan wakes up," he finished, wide eyed.

The look on his face shook me to my core.

All of sudden, there was chaos. Everyone was talking at once and I couldn't handle it. I sat down on a log and held my face in my hands.

One week? There are at least five hundred vampires here and even more in Volterra right now. I shook my head in dispair. Nothing is going right.

"I'm sorry for what happened to Ashtan," Jules said quietly, pulling my mate's flannel down over her knees. I looked up at her and scoffed.

"Sorry won't wake her up. If I wasn't so drained right now you would be dead like your little friends," I growled.

She flinched away from me like a scared puppy and I felt bad. It was a low blow. Human bodies were strewn everywhere, some burned to a crisp. The smell was horrid. I couldn't imagine how she felt.

At the moment, I didn't care.

"Is she okay? You know...with the virus and all," she whispered, looking away from me.

"As far as I can tell. She should be waking up soon. Not sure why you care," I sighed, making my way over to the house.

"Oh. If she doesn't, don't be surprised when I rip your head off."

When I walked into the house, Alice and Jasper were sat on the couch with a sketch pad.

The drawing showed two massive armies clashing in the middle of a snowy field. I saw myself and Ashtan but the man we were fighting was not familiar.

"Who is that guy?"

Alice hesitated before she answered. The expression on her face was not one I was used to. She looked afraid for the first time since I met her. I regretted asking her the question.

"Apophis," she whispered. A chill went down my spine, even though the name didn't register. The way she said it..

"Alice saw him in her vision earlier. We don't know who he is but Alice says that he's powerful," Jasper said quietly. His apprehension flowed outward and I had to step away.

"How powerful? More powerful than Ashtan. He can't be right," I asked in concern. I could not fathom that. I couldn't imagine it in my mind.

"He..could very well rival her. I keep getting visions where he wins and others where Ashtan does. It could go either way. I'm sorry, Victoria," Alice said reluctantly.

My heart dropped into my stomach and I felt faint. I felt so overwhelmed that I couldn't even respond. I just sat down and gripped my hair, trying to anchor myself in reality. Trying to keep my confidence.

The sound of a heart starting to thump again reached my ears, I ran upstairs. Ashtan was still lying peacefully on our bed. She looked like she was dreaming now. Her eyes were moving back and forth rapidly. Her heart began to beat faster.

"It's alright, Ash. I'm here," I whispered, smiling sadly. I held her hand gently and frowned, it was hot.

"What the hell?"

I jumped and fell off the bed when she shot up, clutching her chest. Ashtan heaved for air, looking around the room like she didn't know where she was. I could only stare at her in shock..

When her eyes landed on me, I froze in place.

They were as black as the darkest pit, almost demonic. As fathomless and deep as outer space. There was no white to be seen.

For the first time ever, I was afraid of my mate. The only thing I could think was _what are you?_

Suddenly, she was kneeling right in front of me. Those black eyes were nowhere to be seen, replaced by those beautiful brown orbs that I love. When she spoke, I wanted to fall into the earth.

"We're in big trouble."


	23. Taken 6: Fire and Brimstone

**Ashtan**

The journey to Volterra was not easy to say the least. My new condition called for more blood than usual. We had absolutely no time to even investigate into what happened to me during my change. All we could do was go with it.

When we finally walked through the doors of the Volturi castle, I was ready to drain everything in sight. I barely contained myself when we passed Gianna.

Victoria had to wrap her arm around me, but not for comfort. She could literally feel that I was ready to lunge at the poor girl's throat. Demetri and Felix thought it was hilarious for some reason. I wanted to rip their throats out.

"Sisters, we have missed you so. Welcome everyone," Aro said, smiling kindly. I couldn't help but be effected by his happiness.

"Brothers, we have a problem that I hope you haven't neglected to tell me about."

Caius scowled at the massive group of vampires crowding our court.

"Leave us. All of you," he hissed. I rolled eyes at him and waved everyone away reluctantly.

"What is this problem you speak of, sister," Aro asked when the coast was clear.

"There is a...vampire and lycan hybrid that Vlad and Stefan have created. The only reason we know about this is Alice's and Ashtan's visions. If I hadn't had to change her due to a werewolf attack, we wouldn't have any details about this man," Victoria said in annoyance.

The brothers looked terribly confused.

"That is not possible. That thing is an abomination," Caius snarled. I realized then that I would have to tell them about me soon enough.

"Brother, don't speak too soon," Marcus said, looking at me in concern. I always pondered his intelligence.

"Dear one, we had no insight about this creature. If we did we would have informed you. We have never lied to you," Aro said adamantly. He was telling the truth.

I looked them over and nodded slowly. My eyes went to my throne and I felt a pang. If I would have stayed here with my mate maybe none of this would have happened. Actually, if I had never come here this would not have happened.

I need to fix this and there is only one way to do it without blood. However, Victoria would never let me do it alone. The sound of fighting met my ears and I grabbed my mate's hand.

"Victoria and I will be in the sparring room if you need us for anything. I trust that you and the guard have been going over plans to defeat Vlad's army," I looked at Caius expectantly. His war prowess has always been unmatched.

"Of course. As of now we have over two thousand soldiers, not including the vampires who have just arrived. We have been training your acquaintances since they walked in the door. With my strategy, our victory is guaranteed," Caius said, smiling maniacally.

He had always been overconfident as well. Any other time, I would have been the same way, but the things I've seen are nothing to mess with.

"I trust your judgement, Caius. Just remember that this is life or death. This is not a game. We will be going over your plans later."

Thoroughly scolded, Caius sat back in his throne. "Of course, sister."

 **-o0o-**

We spent the next few days training and going over our plans day and night.

I felt like I was on autopilot. It was like I was watching myself as I went over plans and sparred. The only time I felt okay was when I was alone with Victoria or feeding.

My mind was filled with the worst possible outcomes. When I looked at anyone I loved, I saw them dead. Even when I held Victoria close to me, I imagined losing her. It desensitized me. So much so that I felt myself detaching from everything.

Victoria and I could barely talk to each other. Our nerves were so shot. We could only spar to get our anger out. We could only hold each other to quell the fear of losing each other.

"If I die, I want you to run," I whispered, running my fingers through my mate's hair.

"Don't say shit like that. Don't even put that out into the universe. You're not going to die," she said angrily, pulling away from me.

"I am not just saying this. Anything could happen to any of us, but I'm not letting you die. If you die, there is no coming back. For me, I'll have another chance. Just please run and don't look back," I said adamantly, staring into her eyes.

She was quiet for a while. The tears in her eyes tortured me but she needed to understand.

"If I lose you..I-I could never go on, Victoria," I whispered brokenly. Just imagining it, made me want to explode.

She wrapped her arms around me and pressed her lips against mine gently, as if I would break. The usual heat that flooded my body was no where to be found. Love washed over me through the bond. As pure as the driven snow.

"I will run. I promise," she said, pressing our forehead together.

I pulled her lips back to mine. I decided to stop wasting time. If we only have a few days left, I need to cherish my mate while I still have her.

 **-o0o-**

I sat on my throne and quietly watched my chosen counsel go over their plans. In the middle of the court, they had pulled out a table and made it into a drawing board. I would find it hilarious under any other circumstances.

"That is what I wanted to do. Place at least a thousand of our soldiers in this wooded area. Meaning, the wolves as well. They will be a surprise factor," Peter said wistfully, running the plane over in his head.

"Exactly. The shapeshifting beasts will fight the lycans. It will be a fair fight," Caius sneered, wrinkling his nose.

"That sounds like a plan to me but we need more information about how many soldiers they have on their side. Honestly, I want to know what kind of ignorant embeciles they've accumulated," I quipped in a bored tone.

"Are you suggesting that we send in a spy," Jasper asked. I sighed and braced myself for outrage.

"No. I want to go and see for myself."

As I suspected, they were totally against it. I was thankful that Victoria was out hunting. I would need to tell her this for myself. Alone. However, I don't have enough time for debate. We only have three days to make it to Romania for the battle.

"Sister, you cannot possibly think that they will welcome you with open arms. Especially since you were the one who defeated their first rebellion so long ago," Marcus said, outraged. We had always been very close.

"I am not a child, Marcus. I met Vlad and Stefan before you were even born. They are not savages, no matter how much hate we have for them right now. Why else do you think they aren't storming Volterra right now," I ground out, reverting back to Enyo. They looked taken aback.

"I will go and speak to them. I will try and make peace. If they do not comply, we will destroy them by any means necessary. End of discussion."

The doors burst open suddenly and I almost ripped the intruder apart. Jane ran into the room with small box in her hands. The look on her face was one of fear and it shook me a bit.

"Mistress, this is for you. I went out looking for Victoria and I could not find her anywhere. This was left in an alley." Jane handed me the box and stepped away quickly.

On the side of the box my name was spelled out in large letters. I opened the box reluctantly and my stomach turned. The smell that flooded my nose was too familiar. Anger flooded my entire being.

The only thing in the box was a letter and a lock of hair. Red hair. My heart nearly stopped when I registered whose it was. I took deep breaths to calm myself down and read the letter.

"Enyo, your tyranny is about to come to an end. We have your..we have your mate. If you wish to see her alive, come to our castle alone. When the time comes to fight, I hope you will bend the knee. If not, Apophis has taken quite a liking to your mate."

I roared visciously, hands crushing my arm rests like they were nothing. I tossed the paper and the box away from me in fury and began to storm out of the castle. My entire being was on fire. No one touches my mate. **No one.**

"Enyo! Wait. You cannot go alone. This is a trap. They will kill you as soon as you step foot in the castle," Caius said in concern.

"I can't just stay here. I already planned to go there and now I have no choice. I will not allow them to hurt her," I growled. If they tried to stop me I would kill them with no mercy.

"I understand. Please be careful, sister. They will not get away with this," Aro said. He looked like he was just as angry as me.

I did not respond. I didn't have time for promises. I only had time for saving Victoria. The thought of her being in the hands of anyone but me fractured something inside me. Tears of rage welled in my eyes.

As I ran out of the city, I tried to piece my mind back together enough to not risk her life.

Still, all I could think about was razing their entire castle to the ground.

 **-o0o-**

The castle looked the same as it had thousands of years ago. The gray stones stacked one by one by the hands of Vlad and Stefan's army of vampires.

The gothic design would have been welcoming to me in any other circumstance, but the knowledge that my mate resided here as a prisoner made me feel sick.

Two werewolves greeted me with glares when I came to the gate of the castle. I glared right back at them, unbothered. They would die right along with their leaders. No man or woman spared.

When we entered the castle, I began counting the soldiers I saw. I memorized each face and each scent. There had to be, at least, three thousand different scents.

To my despair, I could smell Victoria here was as well. Through the bond, I could feel that she knew I was here.

When we came to the throne room doors, the two werewolves stopped me.

"If you try anything, we will kill you and your pretty whore," the man snarled at me.

My first reaction was to snatch his spine out of his body, but I only nodded meekly. I was at a disadvantage here. They had my mate but I was not going to ruin my chance to keep her alive.

When we entered the throne room, Vlad and Stefan looked up at me smugly. I stood in front of them seething, wondering where my mate was. I could smell her scent here. It was relatively recent.

"Enyo, immortality suits you very well," Stefan spoke like an old friend.

"Where is my mate," I gritted out.

Vlad laughed aloud and stood from his throne. He walked towards me slowly, smiling deceptively. The fire inside me itched to spring forth and envelope him. It took everything to hold it in.

"Your mate is fine, old friend. Apophis has not been unkind to her. He is quite loving," Vlad smirked.

I clenched my jaw to keep from saying something I would regret. I felt helpless for the first time in my life. Thoughts of what could happen to my Victoria coursed through my mind on repeat.

"Is what I smell correct? You are a hybrid. Apophis would love to hear this. Bring him in," Vlad exclaimed, clapping excitedly.

My hackles rose immediately when I heard him walking up behind me. He smelled like death and my mate. That alone shook me to my core.

The man stood in front me confidently. His long black hair hung in his face, nearly obscuring it. I could see scars on his tan cheeks and smugness in his coal black eyes. He was a large man, as tall as Emmett and just as muscular.

That is not what frightened me.

His aura was as dark as the depths of hell. It was almost demonic. There was nothing to feel from him. His emotions screamed apathy. He really was like his namesake, Apophis. The Egyptian god of death and destruction.

"Apophis is a miracle, much like yourself, my friend. His strength is uncontested. Telepathy is second nature to him. His intuition is unrivaled. We have created a species that will lead us into the future. He will rule over both humans and supernatural beings," Vlad preached, eyes wide in a deranged manner.

"Humans may be weaker than us but the weapons they have could render everything on earth extinct. They would not hesitate to unleash them if you won," I reasoned, almost begging.

"Why don't we just make a truce. We can all just continue living peacefully. There is no need for this."

They laughed at me like I was a child, though I was the oldest living thing in existence. I held my tongue with much effort. I've never been more humiliated in my life. They had obviously let go of any logic or reason they had.

"Humans could never destroy us. You've spent too much time with the peasants, Enyo. I remember when you were majestic. None would dare stand against you. You even defeated my army in battle. Almost singlehandedly."

My eyes remained on Apophis as he spoke. Something was off about him. He just stared at me with a blank face. That was what sent a chill down my spine. This man was in charge of my mate. I had to look away then. My disgust was too much.

"You taught us a lesson then, but it wasn't one that you intended. You taught us that humans need to be controlled," Stefan said menacing. I titled my head him, becoming irritated with this whole situation.

"If a human could be stronger than us we need to break their spirits. Get rid of the superhumans and control every aspect of our diet. We need to turn them into a food supply instead of letting them think they have rights," Vlad ranted, gradually becoming more insane. By the end, he was yelling.

"I could care less about the humans right now. Where is Victoria? Bring her to me," I ground out.

My eyes itches to turn black and destroy everything in my path. I couldn't find it in me to care about anything besides having my mate anymore.

"You won't be seeing her," Stefan said casually. I glared at him hatefully.

Apophis stepped toward me menacingly as I flexed my fingers.

"It would be best if you left, little phoenix," he said gruffly. He voice sent another chill down my spine. It sounded like he had rocks in his throat.

I wanted to pummel them all into the ground and then burn them to ashes. I would have if I wasn't surrounded by thousands of soldiers. If my mate was not in this godforsaken castle somewhere, it would have been so easy.

"This is your last chance to take my offer of peace. When I come back here, you will burn for ever laying a finger on Victoria. That is not a threat. That is a promise and I do not break my promises. I'm sure you remember that," I said in a deadly calm voice.

Vlad and Stefan smirked at me, obviously unbothered. It was almost as if they were completely detached from reality. Brainwashed. Their eyes were cold and distant.

"We will see about that, Enyo. Our good grace is the only reason you remain breathing. Your reign of terror will soon come to an end. With our rule, we will bring about a golden era for all supernatural creatures never before seen," Vlad spoke like he was reciting a written speech.

"It will remain unseen," I scoffed, turning to walk away.

"Don't worry. I will take care of your mate while you are gone. She is quite delicious," Apophis taunted.

I stopped in my tracks, fists curled tightly. The guards inched closer as my eyes turned as black as tar. I could just hear the phoenix growling at home to find her, to save her from these savages and take her far away.

 ** _Burn them to the ground, Asha._**

I closed my eyes for a moment and found the will to walk away. Each step hurt more than the last. The bond ate away at me. The phoenix rattle in my mind, clawing to break free and envelope everything in sight with fire so hot it would melt stone.

 _In due time, we will have our mate. In due time._


	24. Flashback: Serana

**Ashtan**

 ** _Flashback: 1206 A.C._**

 _I opened my eyes from the most horrible dream. I had found my mate only to have her taken from me. Killed without mercy. I could not see her beautiful face, nor could I hear her voice. Only her screams of agony and her flaming red hair._

 _"You sleep so lightly, my love. Why?"_

 _I looked down at Serana and sighed, holding her close to me. I wrapped my fingers in her ginger locks and pondered whether I should tell her or not._

 _"I had a dream that I found my mate. She had beautiful red hair like yours but that is all I could see. It was in a time so much different than this," I spoke quietly._

 _My eyes watched the fire crackle in the hearth, thinking about what possibly could have gone wrong. I could never be so stupid as to let my mate die._

 _"Mate? Are you not as human as I," Serana laughed._ _I crinkled my nose._

 _"The word just came to mind. It wasn't a normal love. It was stronger. Almost like ours but so much more. Can you imagine?"_

 _Serana kisses my lips gently, smoothing her hot hand down my stomach slowly._

 _"No, Asha, I cannot."_

 _The distant sound of feet hitting the ground caught my ear and I frowned. Serana distracted me with her lips, biting and sucking gently. I put it off to village children having their fun._

 _However, when screams echoed through our small home I shot out of our bed._

 _"What troubles you? Come back to bed," Serana complained. I shushed her, listening to the screams._

 _"Hide, Rana. Go! Now!"_

 _"Why? What is it?"_

 _The burst open without warning, revealing four vampires with blood smeared on their faces. The men looked the epitome of demons. Their eyes focused on Serana and I sneered at them._

 _"Leave now or you will die screaming," I growled, trying to hide Serana from view._

 _They had no time for talking._

 _They charged at once. I had the first two vampires enveloped in flames before they could reach me. The last two became enraged. They clawed at me and threw punches hard enough to knock a human unconscious as I threw flames at them._

 _Serana's screams echoed through my mind as I tried to keep her safe. Suddenly, one of the vampires growled and charged at her ferociously._

 _A horrible chill went up my spine and I roared. Time seemed to slow to a crawl._

 _My entire body heated up dramatically and I enveloped the shocked vampire in flames. I turned around grabbed the other man by the back of his neck, just before he could desecrate Serana's beautiful skin._

 _As soon as I touched him, his body erupted into flames. I watched emotionlessly as he turned to ashes at her feet. It still was not enough. I wanted more carnage. More death and destruction. **More.**_

 _"Asha...," Serana whispered, staring at me like I was a monster._

 _"Witch! Witch! Witch!"_

 _I turned around and saw the villagers chanting at me through the door. The scowled and sneered at me, holding their wooden crosses up at me as if that could send me back to the depths of hell._

 _"I saved you all. You are all fools. I should have let you die," I growled as I stumbled into the street. My sanity was slipping fast._

 _"She is a fornicater and a demon spawn. She conjured demons to our village! We must burn her at the stake like the witch she is," the village priest exclaimed. The people roared in response, pointing their rusted pitchforks at me._

 _"The flames will embrace me with open arms. I am the phoenix! You cannot kill me with flames. Fools, the lot of you! Let us leave this place, Serana," I said, reaching out to her. She shook her head slowly._

 _"What? Serana, let us leave!"_

 _My eyes widened as she went to stand with the villagers. It felt as though my soul was crushed into tiny pieces and spread along the ground to be crushed under feet as she walked away from me. Her eyes were cold as the snow that fell upon us all._

 _The villagers advanced on me and Serana with them. I could not move. I could not blink. Even as they tied me to that dirty pole inthe town square. Even as they sat coals beneath my feet. I kept my eyes on Serana._

 _"I love you," I screamed. Tears blurred my view but I could still see her turning to walk away from me. "Serana! You should let them try to kill me? You should walk away from our love? Serana!"_

 _"Burn the witch! Burn the witch!"_

 _The flames rose up to the top of my head in no time. They tickled at me as I cried. They comforted me as I screamed in agony. I wished then that the pain was not in my heart. The villagers cheered at my screams._

 _When the flames died down, I was no longer hurt. I was livid. They stared at me in awe and fear. I could already see some of them running away as my eyes turned to coal orbs._

 _"Embeciles," I whispered, closing my eyes._

 _I detached from my body and watched from afar. It was me but somehow... it was not._

 _The phoenix exploded into flames, no more was the human body that it once inhabited. This was a goddess, a demon with no compassion. The villagers creamed as they turned to ashes._

 _" **Blasphemers. Traitors. Fools** ," she growled. Her voice shocked me. __It was a deep growl that sounded like a mixture of my voice and that of a demon._

 _I watched as she raised her hands, razing everything around her to the ground. It was beautiful to watch. The fire need not burn for long to turn everything to ashes. Before long, the people had nowhere to hide._

 _I watched as Serana curled herself into a ball on the ground. She was bawling and shaking like a leaf. A part of me scream at the phoenix to spare her when she kneeled beside her. To just let her live out her life. I couldn't bare to see her die like this._

 _" **Little mate, you have rejected us** ," the phoenix said, almost hurt. _

_As a ghostly tear fell from my eye, I saw one fall from hers. I couldn't even stop to ponder her words. I just wanted to be swallowed up by the earth. Especially as Serana scrambled to get away._

 _"Don't kill me, please! I will do anything," she wailed, crawling along the ground._

 _" **We could never hurt you. You have made your choice this day, but we will meet again soon.** "_

 _I was sucked into my body violently as the phoenix retreated back into her haven at the back of my mind. Her pain combined with mine and rendered me weak. Serana stared at me in fear, trembling like a frightened hound._

 _"I love you," I whispered for the last time._

 _I ran away from her with a few shards of my heart left behind and only the wind to comfort me as it brushed against my soot covered body. Her face was still there in mind, never leaving._

 _Through my angry tears, my dream came to mind. I ate my words. It is possible for me to be stupid enough to lose my mate._ _Even I, the phoenix incarnate, am not impervious to love._

 _For love is powerful enough to render a god helpless._

 _ **Author's Note:**_

 ** _What did the phoenix mean when she said that they would meet again?_**


	25. Dark Phoenix

**Sorry for any mistakes.**

 **-o0o-**

My hair blew in the cold wind as we ran through the snow covered trees. The my mind was completely focused and filled with deadly thoughts. My legs worked hard as I passed everyone around me.

I looked to my right and noticed Jules trying to keep up. She looked just as angry as the rest of us. I nodded at her and kept going. I had no time to talk. Even though we had come a day early, I didn't want to take any chances.

When we got to to the field, Vlad's soldiers were already there waiting. They stood in a massive, neat formation. All of them stood at attention, ready for battle. There was absolutely no expression on their faces.

"Fall in," I commanded my allies.

Within seconds, they were in formation behind me. Ready for war.

"They're coming," Alice said quietly.

I nodded to her and waited stoically. I wanted to see their disgusting faces one last time before I destroyed them. They had crossed the line too many times. To lay a finger on my mate meant war. Our secret be damned.

"They smell like shit," Rosalie mumbled, covering her nose.

"Language, Rose," Esme scolded half heartedly.

My fists clenched as they made their way through the sea of their soldiers. Apophis smirked at me. His scarred face creasing grotesquely. I could imagine my fists turning it into a bloody mush of flesh.

"You're early. You always did love a fight, Enyo," Vlad smiled at me as if we weren't here to kill him. My eyes searched for Victoria in vain.

"That is true. If I remember correctly, you always had a knack for losing," I said in a deadly calm voice.

"Ah! The kings have decided to grace us with their presence. It has been centuries since I saw you last. How has life been," Vlad deflected, glaring at me.

Aro stepped forward, eyes hard and cold. Victoria was like his daughter and he would not let anyone harm. I could tell that my brother was impatient to wipe them off the earth.

"We have been fine until now, dear friend. Your plan for our future is not one we will allow to come to fruition. It saddens me that we must resort to violence," Aro said in a fake tone.

"What he means to say is, you're a fool and we will live to see you all burn," Caius snarled. I held him back with a hand.

Vlad and Stefan's army stepped at his threat causing mine to do the same. I waved them back into to their places. There was no need to start the battle prematurely. Though I itched to rip Apophis' face off.

"Caius, you always were shrewd. We will forgive your disrespect this once. Tomorrow, I will have your head on my mantle," Stefan sneered before walking away, Vlad and Apophis following.

"Victoria _will_ be here tomorrow," I called through gritted teeth. They didn't even have the courtesy to look back at me.

"If I want her here, she will be," Apophis said gruffly.

I wanted to lunge at him so badly, but a hand pulled me back just as I began to move. I took deep breaths to calm myself.

I was tired of being patient. Tired of letting these low level embeciles fuck with me and mine. These thoughts just made me angrier.

"It's alright. We'll get em tomorrow," Jules said, trying to be positive.

I sighed and turned around to watch my friends and family build a large bonfire. A smile spread across my face but it quickly vanished. Many of them will not survive tomorrow.

"It's okay to be afraid for them. I know how you feel," she sighed sadly. I looked at her in confusion.

"How is that?"

Jules pointed at the other soldiers and rolled her eyes. I could instantly see the large group of werewolves glaring at her as they dispersed. One of them was particularly angry.

"That used to be my alpha and that's his pack. I feel bad for what's going to happen tomorrow but it has to happen. Just like you feel bad for putting your people in harm's way. Some things are just necessary," she said, shrugging.

I nodded, eyeing the rogue werewolves. There was so many people that needed to die for us to remain safe, for Victoria to be back with me, for our secret to remain a secret. I just didn't want my family to apart of that group. I am a selfish creature at heart.

Later that night, I sat beside Jules and the Cullens as the others told their tales under the star filled sky. The cold winds surrounded us and the sounds of wolves howling in the trees brought a certain somber mood upon us.

Apart of me wished for morning to never come. Because it would bring the end of happiness and the end of peace. I caught myself staring up at that massive castle many times, wondering if Victoria was okay. If she was in pain. I hated myself for not being able to help her.

The sun did not care for our foreboding. The large orange sphere lifted up from the horizon as if taunting me. With it came Vlad and Stefan's soldiers, scowling at us with hatred in their cold eyes.

My stomach lurched as I watched Apophis stroll out with Victoria slung over his shoulder. Her body was limp and lifeless, turning my entire body cold. I wanted to run to her and kill the bastard without mercy.

Something was wrong.

Vlad and Stefan came to stand in front of their army. I watched helplessly as Victoria was dropped to the ground like a sack of flour. She barely moved at all.

"What did you do to her," I growled, shaking with rage. I could feel that she was alive but completely drained.

"That doesn't matter. We will give you one chance to turn around and leave with your lives intact. If you pledge your allegiance to Apophis, you may live," Vlad announced elaborately.

Not one of my people moved an inch and my confidence went up.

"No, _I_ will give you one more chance. If you pledge yourself to me and mine, and give up this ridiculous idea of ruling over all humans, I will let you live. I am the Phoenix. Life and fire incarnate. You stand absolutely no chance against me and mine," I spoke authoritatively, struggling to keep my eyes off my injured mate.

I watched many of their faces become fearful. They seemed to go from statues to actual people with feelings.

"Your leaders will burn in the hottest fires you have ever seen. Your friends will burn. Your families will burn. And for what? An idea of absolute power? Is this idea worth dying for? If not, stand with us."

As some of them began to move, the three leaders scowled at me evilly. My entire body tensed as Apophis reared back to deliver a deadly blow to Victoria's stomach. By this time, I was done playing at peace.

I was across the field at record speed with a foot planted in the middle of his chest. Time slowed to a crawl as everyone looked on in outrage and glee.

"Destroy them," Caius roared, beckoning our army forth.

And the fight was on.

As Apophis skidded across the field, I struggled to wake Victoria up. Her eyes were open but she was not moving at all. Her eyes had bags under them that spoke of a horrible thirst.

"Come on, baby. Wake up," I whispered to her.

I slit my wrist quickly and shoved it in her mouth, ignoring the few scars that desecrated her beautiful face. When she began to drink I sighed in relief, only to have the rest of the air in my lungs kicked out of me.

I pushed myself off the ground swiftly and ran to meet Apophis head on. He smirked at me as I raised my fist to strike him and countered it easily. I roared in fury. He repeatedly dodged my strikes with the agility of a cheeta.

We went back and forth without either of us getting an edge. Every punch I landed, he answered it with one of his own. He dodged my flames like they were nothing. It was like fighting Victoria but on steroids. His height was a major problem.

I cringed as a strong kick landed to my midsection, followed by the hardest punch I had ever received. I went flying into a group of battling werewolves and shapeshifters as if I was a rag doll.

The werewolves immediately forgot about the shifters and pounced on me all at once.

All I could see was claws as they rained down blow after blow. I dodged their jaws by inches and called upon my fire as fast as I could. The shifters jumped away to watch as they went up in flames.

When I looked back, I could not see Apophis anywhere. Even worse, Victoria was gone as well. My fists clenched in frustration.

"Fuck," I growled, racing off to find them.

I ran through the battleground, ripping off the heads of fledgling vampires and turning werewolves to ashes as I searched for them. Any mercy I held in my heart was gone. It took the grace of a higher being to keep me from killing Vlad's defectors.

"Get off me," Irina growled as a werewolf knocked her down.

I ripped off my opponents head as quickly as I could and dashed over to her. I placed my hand on the beast's back and washed it fall over in agony. Irina looked at me with wide eyes before I quickly ran off to find my mate.

"Where is she," I roared in fury.

My eyes scanned the battlefield frantically. It was chaos. Limbs lie in the mounting snow. Wolves and shifters alike lie die in the middle of the field. Vampires dragged themselves across the ground to reach their legs. I felt like I was going insane.

Suddenly, everyone stopped and I became confused. However, my eyes widened when a massive crack in the earth began to open up. It shook the earth with such ferocity that I nearly fell over. This was my cue to bring the fire.

"Ashtan!"

My heart stopped when Victoria's scream reached my ears. My eyes fell upon her in horror. In the distance, Apophis gripped her head in his hands, ready to end her.

"You are no goddess. You are weak and your mate's death will be because of it," Apophis sneered.

So many emotions erupted inside me at once. So much rage. I ran with the speed of a god. The familiar feeling of fire enveloping my body came, but this time, I did not push it down. I embraced it to the highest degree.

I allowed myself to implode.

I roared as a sharp pain erupted in my back. It felt like needles poking into the skin of my back. As they burst through, my agonizing screams turned to deep growls. Apophis' eyes widened with fear as my feet lifted off the ground.

" **You do not touch my mate** ," I snarled visciously. My wings spread apart, flames dancing over them.

I flew towards him with fire trailing beneath me. The screams of my enemies echoed through the field. My sole purpose became his death.

As his hands began to twist frantically, I swooped down and kicked him with ferocious strength. I didn't even stop to watch him knock over trees in his wake.

I dropped to the ground and grabbed Victoria. I checked her over for wounds diligently, making sure she would be okay. She pushed my hands away gently.

"I'm fine. Go and get that motherfucker. Bring me his head," she growled quietly. The fire in her eyes urged me on.

I was reluctant to leave her but I could hear Apophis getting to his feet. I squeezed her hand gently and lifted up into the air with a flap of my wings. Power flowed through my veins like electricity.

He ran towards me bravely, but I could smell his fear. It permeated the air and made me smirk. When he jumped into the air to grab me, I gripped his arm tightly. The sound of the bones breaking made me smile.

He screamed in agony and I dropped him like dead weight. As soon as he hit the ground, he ran as fast as could into the woods. His fleeing only served to rile me up. The anticipation is always the sweetest.

" **Coward** ," I sneered, flying after him.

Apophis zig zagged through the trees holding his useless arm, trying to get it to heal correctly. I followed him closely and reveled in the fear that coursed through his entire body. The chase had always been my favorite part of the kill.

When he came to a massive mountain face, he stopped. I hovered in the air and watched various emotions flash across his face. He steeled himself and crouched.

"I will not die as a coward," he spat at me.

I descended to the ground and watched him stare at my massive wings in awe. Flames clung to them as if they themselves were the feathers. I spread them out lazily and smirked at him.

" **Apophis, the Egytian god of death and destruction. A god to be feared. A god to be wary of. You are none of these things and yet...you brought harm to my mate** ," I said calmly. I had him exactly where I wanted him.

"It needed to be done to get your attention. You could bring in a new era of power for us all with the power you wield. I would gladly serve you. Every human and supernatural being would follow you. I know you have thought of it," he said frantically, suddenly emboldened by my calmness.

I let myself imagine this world he spoke of. A world where I am the queen of the damned, so to speak. A world where all beings bow to me and follow my laws rather than the frivolous rules they follow now.

" **I have seen the evils of humanity. I have seen the lowest of the low. I have been burned at the stake. I have been discriminated against for only the color of my skin. I have been a slave and much more. All of these atrocities by the hands of humans**."

Apophis straightened from his crouch as I slowly inched towards him. A hopeful expression replaced his fear. He seemed to relax as I spoke.

The most beautiful lesson I've ever learned is to become your enemy. One has to love their enemy as they love themselves. And when I understand them completely, I destroy them.

"You see. Under your hand, you can get revenge on the humans for what they've done to you. All of us would thrive under your rule," he said, trying to placate me.

When I was close enough to smell his breath, I stopped. The feeling of something poking at my shield made me tilt my head at him curiously. The last time I felt that same sensation was in the presence of Armand.

" **Vladimir didn't lie to me. You truly are gifted** ," I whispered. A look came over his face.

" **Ah, ah, ah. Pride goeth before the fall**."

I gripped his neck tightly and pushed down on his shoulders with massive force. Apophis screamed and then gurgled as I crushed his windpipe. I bit into his neck with my massive fangs, tearing it apart and gulping his powerful blood until it was almost completely gone.

I stared into his eyes as his spine snapped. A wave of pleasure rolled over me when his body detached from his head. Blood spurted onto the snow beneath him, melting it upon contact.

His face was stuck in a look of utter horror. His eyes, wide and empty. It was an aesthetic that I could get used to.

" **You die so beautifully, god of death**." I flicked my wrist and watched his body burst into flames. " **It was nice while it lasted**."

When I exited the trees, the fight was nearly over. However, Vlad and Stefan were the only real opponents left to defeat. The kings were facing off with them while everyone else stood to the side of them, watching.

I titled my head in confusion. Did they really want a fair fight? As fair a fight as they could get while outnumbering the two traitors. To their credit, Vlad and Stefan did not look afraid. I pondered just how strong Apophis' mind control was.

The rest of their army, no matter how small the number, seemed to have awaken. But the two leaders still looked deranged. I wanted to wake them up and pardon them. Give them another chance to live peacefully.

Then, I remembered I had already given them too many chances to begin with.

I stepped out into the clearing with my wings stretched out completely. All eyes turned to me in awe and fear. Vlad and Stefan glared at me with the coldest eyes as I lifted their progeny's head into the sky. My people cheered wildly.

"What have you done," Vlad wailed running toward. Only to be intercepted by the guard.

"You are the beast! You will fall! I vow it," Stefan roared deliriously.

I smiled, deadly fangs glistening in the sun, as Victoria rushed to my side. I handed her the head as if presenting a gift. She took it with a maniacal smile. She stood beside me stoically, ready to defend me at any second as I would her.

" **Your childe is dead, as is your army. The only reason you still take unneeded breaths is because I and my family allow it. The Volturi's motto has always been that we do not give second chances. We have failed to stay true to it with you embeciles. Not on this day** ," I said calmly, gesturing towards the Volturi kings and the guard.

They advanced slowly as the two insane ancients backed away in fear. I watched with cold eyes, absolutely no remorse. A part of me wanted to kill them myself but this was not only about me. They had threatened every vampire coven here. I watched as they all surrounded the two and felt nothing but pride.

The Volturi was redeeming themselves.

"No," Vlad screamed as Stefan was torn apart. He screamed and began to fight, only to drop to his knees in agony.

"Pain," Jane whispered, smiling evilly. I titled my head in confusion as Irina slipped her hand into Jane's.

Ucheche and Nazeem laughed and grabbed Vlad's arms with glee. Their red eyes gleamed with bloodthirsty excitement. The vampires and werewolves around them chanted them on as their mates advanced.

I turned to Victoria silently and watched her smile at the scene in front of us. My beautiful mate, alive and well. My realization could wait until another day. I wanted to feel her presence and the happiness that spread from her through the bond.

" **I love you** ," I whispered quietly. I could feel the fire inside me cooling down as Vlad's screams echoed through the trees.

"I'm sorry that I wasn't able to save you before they hurt you-"

Victoria placed her finger over my lips gently and caressed my cheek. Chills racked my body and I sighed in contentment. My wings, now extinguished, curled themselves around her protectively.

"I understand. It's okay. Now we have eons to be together with, hopefully, no interruptions. I would go through that a millions times just to make sure you and our families remained safe," she murmured, staring into my eyes with such love.

I kissed her lips softly and looked around at the battlefield. The bodies of the dead were now being tossed into massive bonfires. My heart hurt for the Quileute and the few nomads that had fallen. We could not survive this fight without casualties. It still hurt my heart.

In the distance, I saw the Cullens wrapping Jules' leg in a torn shirt. She waved at us happily and jabbed her thumb at the pack of werewolves behind her with a smile.

I waved back and rolled my eyes. I assumed they had made up, and the Cullens had gotten a new family member in the process. Carlisle always did have a need to expand his family.

"Your little girlfriend is sticking around, I see," Victoria chuckled. I gave her a confused look.

Before we even had time to reunite with our families, Caius had to ruin it.

"What will we do about these beasts? We've gotten rid of the lesser beasts but what of the Lycans? We cannot let them live after their betrayal," he ranted.

Aro and Marcus looked around at the scene for a moment and sighed at their brother. He knew not his own misguided prejudice. Some things never change.

"Brother, shut up," Aro sighed, causing Victoria and I to laugh.

Standing there beside my mate, underneath the sun shining so brightly through the clouds, I felt happiness. I looked towards the castle and with a smile, I declared it mine and Victoria's home away from home.

We had survived this day and I had trust in every smiling coven around me that we could survive anything else that came our way. For, my power was not yet at it's peak, but together, we were unstoppable.

Whatever the future has in store, we will handle it.

Together.


	26. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

I sat back on my throne with Victoria at me feet. Our friends were finally departing back to their homes. The kings and I had expressed our gratitude for the amazing variance in this fight. We made sure to give the fallen a send off worthy of a warrior.

Only the Cullens and the Denalis remained. The Denalis because Irina didn't want to leave Jane behind but she refused to leave my side. I remained silent, unwilling to interrupt their argument for now.

The Cullens because they were trying to convince Victoria and I to go with them. They didn't understand that my visit with them was merely for my mate to meet them. Even though Victoria stayed with them for over seventeen years. They looked wholely downtrodden when I refused.

"We would love to have you as a part of our family for at least one more year, Ashtan. You have been apart of our family since before it was ever a family and Victoria is like one of own," Carlisle said kindly.

I looked at all of them and saw the hopeful expressions on their faces. Alice was looking at Victoria with this knowing gaze and Rosalie was smirking at me like she knew I would be joining them.

But Jules was giving me this pitiful look beside her. She looked totally out of place beside the rest of the pale family. It was hilarious. I sighed.

"We could stay for a year, Ash. After that we can come back. Hell, Jane could come with us too. Just so blondies one, two, and three will shut up," Victoria said, rolling her eyes.

Said blondies glared at her healfheartedly, making me smile. It wasn't that bad of an idea. If Jane and Irina had been avoiding each other for as long I suspect with an active mating bond, they needed this time to heal it.

"Brothers, what do you think about this little vacation," I asked, looking at them expectantly.

"We should be fine here. We have established our place as rulers. If any problems do arise, we will call you," Aro smiled, placing a cold hand on my arm.

"Please do make sure Jane returns to us," Caius scowled, flopping back into his chair. I grinned. He hated when I left.

"If she chooses to remain with her mate, we will not stop her, brother. The bond is stronger than a vow," Marcus said, squeezing Didyme's hand gently as he spoke.

Victoria and I stood in front of the Cullens and Denalis. Our decision had been made quite swiftly. If nothing else, this would be another little break from ruling. I had to sleek to the Quileute about there wolves anyway. Whatever wolves that came next would need proper guidance.

"Well go get your things, Jane. You're coming with us. Sorry Alec, only three Volturi at a time," I joked. He smiled as Jane shot off toward her chambers.

"Just telling you guys now. There better not be any evil hybrids after you because I'm totally not into that anymore," Victoria said, rolling her eyes.

I smiled and joined in as everyone laughed, wrapping an arm around my mate. This was like a beautiful dream. In the back of my mind, I wondered when I began to associate happiness with something unattainable. In that moment, I knew that I was wrong.

Now that the pain is over, we have all the time in the world to be happy.

 _TBC_

 _ **AUTHOR'S NOTE:**_

 _ **Expect more chapters but give me a little time to make an outline. It will be a continuation of this story. A second chapter, if you will. This is only the beginning of her story.**_

 _ **I don't know if I should publish it as a second story or not. I will most likely just use this already existing story and just add a second chapter. Thank you for reading. I'll be back after the commercial.**_


	27. Chapter 2: Singing

**August 7, 2008**

 **Ashtan's Pov**

 **-o0o-**

"Why are we in Seattle? We have school tomorrow, you guys."

Victoria and I rolled our eyes at her. Jules never ceased to ruin a good time with her need to be responsible. Since she and Edward mated, she's been a total prude. We aim to fix that.

"The real question is why are you always so responsible, Juliana? When I met you, you were down to party. We have one last night of adulting to do. So let's live it up," I laughed, licking my lips at a passing morsel.

"So basically, I'm going to follow you both around while you drain random humans within an inch of their lives," Jules grumbled, crossing her arms like a petulant child.

"I'm proud of you! You're as smart as I suspected! We've had to deal with your lunar cycle for the past two years. So you're coming with us and having some fun, young lady. We'll get that stick out your arse," Victoria snarked, pulling her along.

She smacked my butt hard and I smirked at her lewdly. Jules sighed and trailed behind us as we ducked into a seedy bar. I almost wanted to go to the bar where we met and drain the bartender to get under her skin. I do love fucking with her. But tonight, I'm parched.

With a whole hour's worth of overtly sexual dancing and two bottles of vodka, Jules finally joined us on the dancefloor. The strobe lights flashed violently as the music moved through us. The smell of alcohol, marijuana, and delicious, sweaty humans surrounded us.

By the way Jules was moving, I could tell she was completely wasted. We had her sandwiched between us tightly, moving with the music. She ground her ass against me hard as I gripped her hips, nails digging into her hot skin.

"She's doing so well, Ash. I think she deserves a reward, doesn't she," Victoria rasped against her lips while staring into my eyes. Jules seemed completely oblivious.

"Yes," I growled, fangs snapping down as Jules ground into me harder.

I watched as they're lips smashed together in a deep kiss. My entire body heated up at the display. I slipped my hands under Jules' shirt, feeling the strain of her stomach muscles under my fingertips.

My gums ached as I tried to keep myself from biting into her shoulder. Instead, I sucked at her skin and let my hands slip into her skinny jeans. Her arousal coated my fingers and I groaned, knowing I shouldn't be doing this.

At first, she moaned into Victoria's mouth and bucked against my hand. But before I knew it, she had pulled away from us and bolted away, smashing through the crowd. I felt like I had whiplash, it happened so fast.

"Well, that could have gone better. Way to ruin it, you horny bitch. I thought we were going to take it slow. Edward will kill us," Victoria said sarcastically.

I facepalmed, thoroughly ashamed of myself.

"I know, I know! Let's just get a snack and leave. I should have fucking fed first. I hope she didn't run home," I growled in frustration.

Not even ten minutes later we both had our prey out in the back alley. The drunken men were all too eager to leave the club with us on a whim.

My guy seemed much more gentle than Victoria's, though she was loving his roughness. Mine was preoccupied with kissing my neck and carressing me. I quickly became bored with it.

I pushed him against the wall and sunk my teeth into his neck without mercy. I covered his mouth to muffle his screams, moaning as his warm blood ignited my tastebuds. A sudden predatory instinct had me tear into his throat like a savage. Before I knew it, he was only a mutilated husk.

"Damn it, Ash. I thought you promised to leave them alive," Jules berated me, dropping down from the rooftop.

I licked my bloody lips and shrugged, watching Victoria continue to make out with her prey. The guy was completely oblivious to his dead friend a few feet away.

"Finish him, V. We need to get back before they send Edward after us again. You remember how that went last time," I said, picking dried blood out of my nails.

Victoria sighed in annoyance and quickly fed from her prey. When she finished, we stood there awkwardly. Our actions earlier couldn't be forgotten but none of us wanted to bring it up.

"So...," Jules began, blushing profusely. I bit my lip to keep from smiling. Her innocence was adorable.

"We wanted to help you out in the sex department since Eddie doesn't have the balls to go take the next step," Victoria said matter of factly, always the blunt one.

Jules was completely speechless and utterly embarrassed. I rolled my eyes at Victoria and patted Jules' shoulder gently.

"Forgive Victoria's bluntness, But That is basically the gist of it. We just wanted to help. It was wrong of me to overstep your boundaries," I explained. She seemed to gain composure then.

"That's all? You're not joking? You think Edward and I need to get off," she said incredulously. We nodded like it was obvious and she became angry.

"We are just fine, thank you. Besides, it's none of your business what we do. Not everybody is as primal as you guys."

We watched her leave with a dumbfounded expression on our faces. We both felt like shit for making her angry. We just wanted to help them, but she was right, it's none of our business. Honestly, we couldn't care less.

"That could've gone better," Victoria grumbled as we made our way out of the city. I gave her a thoughtful look.

"You want to fuck with Edward next," I asked conspiratorially. Victoria smirked slyly and looked away.

"Of course."

I smirked, thinking about all the mess we could get into during this school year.

 **-o0o-**

"Fuck, Ash! Right there!"

Victoria's legs squeezed around my head like a vise as I licked her within an inch of her sanity. I could feel her thighs trembled as she came closer and closer to the edge of ecstasy. I moaned into as her pleasure resonated through the bond.

"Guys! Come on! We have to get to school or we'll be late," Jules growled through the door.

Victoria gave a particularly loud moan and came as if on cue. I could feel Jules' frustration and embarrassment and I t fucked up my own orgasm. However, I wasn't angry at her. It was hilarious.

When Victoria and I hopped into our truck to head to school, Jules flipped us off and hopped into Edwards Volvo. We sat and watched her with fake hurt expressions on our faces.

"What the hell? Have we made her hate us," Victoria exclaimed. I laughed heartily.

"Maybe she just needs some good dick in her life," I quipped. Edward's loud growl made us burst into giggles.

When we got to the school, we hopped out of the car with our human facades intact. As we were walking towards the entrance the sound of a loud truck reached our ears. It was unfamiliar but we ignored it. New humans come relatively frequently, surprisingly.

We all congregated at the front desk and nearly gave the old woman a heart attack. She stared at us like she had never seen us before. It took her a good five minutes to begin giving us our schedules.

"Ashtan and Victoria Hastings," Mrs. Burnham said. Her hand shook as she handed us our papers.

We held back laughter and went to thank her but I stopped short. A smell like nothing else I had ever smelled before penetrated my nostrils and shook me to my core. It was indescribably delicious and all encompassing.

"Ashtan? Are you okay?"

I could hear my family fussing over me but I couldn't gain my composure. My eyes itched to turn black. My muscles writhed under my skin as I attempted to keep from lunging at the girl walking up to the front desk.

I knew her.

"You're Charlie's girl aren't you? Bella Swan? Here's your schedule, sweety."

Before I knew it, I was being dragged down the hallway. A barely audible growl echoed in my chest as they took me away from my prey. The only thing keeping me from tearing myself away was my mate.

The girls pushed me into a bathroom, scaring the shit out of the humans and making them run away. Victoria grabbed my face and whispered comforting words to keep me from draining them.

"What the hell was that," Rosalie exclaimed. She wasn't angry at me but she was afraid of what she thought was going on.

"It's her singer. I knew Bella was coming but I didn't see this. How didn't I see this," Alice said with wide eyes.

"What the hell is a singer," Jules mumbled, confused.

"Bella's blood calls to her. What I don't understand is why Bella is here now and why she's suddenly Ashtan's singer. She wasn't before," Victoria ranted.

I simply buried my face in her neck like a scared child. I had never experienced the pull of a singer before. I only heard stories about them from my brothers. What they didn't tell me was how hard it was to resist the pull.

"Before? You know this human," Rosalie exclaimed, pacing the tiled floor frantically.

"We met her when she was a child. She got lost in Volterra and we got her back to her mother. I wasn't expecting to see her again," Victoria explained, looking completely confused.

"What are we going to do? Is it safe for her to stay here," Jules asked in concern. I tried to tell them I was getting better but a growl came out instead.

"I'll take that as a no. Take her to feed, Tori. When we get home we'll have a talk with Carlisle and figure this mess out," Rosalie said finally. She squeezed my shoulder gently before leaving.

"I'm so sorry, Ash. I'm sorry I didn't see this. I'm still having trouble seeing past Jules," Alice apologized profusely.

"It's fine. You guys should get to class," I said gruffly. My throat felt like it was being clawed from the inside out. Bella's smell lingered around me like a shroud.

Jules hesitated to leave with Alice, and I waved her away. I hated the pitying look on her face. Being weak is not my forte.

"Go. I'm alright," I growled, regretting my harsh tone when she grimaced.

Victoria turned to me when they left and gave me a look. I would know it anywhere. The "what the fuck are we going to do" look. I gave it right back to her. I had no idea. If she remembered us we were completely and utterly fucked.

"We'll figure it out, Tori. I don't know how, but we will."


	28. Mortality

**Ashtan's POV**

 **-o0o-**

I sat beside Victoria on the couch with a bag of blood smashed to my lips. I couldn't think about anything but Bella. More specifically, how she would taste. A growl rumbled in my chest, causing my family to look at me warily. Edward silently scolded me.

I mentally berated myself and leaned against Victoria.

"You all know how this works. We will take a vote. Those in favor of leaving, speak," Carlisle said, gesturing toward Edward.

"I think we should finish school in Alaska. From what I've seen in Ashtan's mind, Bella might remember her from her Phoenix. Possibly even when she was a child. Even worse, I can't read her mind," Edward said, obviously annoyed.

"For once, I agree with Edward. We can't take any chances. If she remembers we won't be able to know. Hell, she might know right now," Rosalie quipped, folding her arms as if the discussion was over.

"We should stay. I've seen some very interesting things," Alice said thoughtfully. I tilted my head at her, wondering what she meant.

Before I could ask, Rosalie and Edward were arguing against her suggestion. Listing the reasons why we should just pack up and run. It always amazed me how they forget who I am.

"I'm staying," I interrupted, voice unwavering and final. Rosalie and Edward stared at me incredulously.

"I have a gut feeling that we need to stay. I know better than to ignore my instincts."

Victoria squeezed my hand gently and I returned the sentiment. I knew my choice was the right one but I also didn't know what was in store for us. My thirst was still uncontrollable and I had no idea why Bella was suddenly my singer.

"Well, I do believe we've come to a consensus courtesy of Queen Enyo," Esme chuckled, smiling kindly.

"Wait. What will you do about school? You could barely breathe today," Edward queried, frustrated with my choice to stay.

"She smells amazing, yes, but I can't just run away and expect to build a tolerance. I can only do that by being around her. So that is what I'm going to do," I stated boldly.

"If she happens to remember Victoria and I, so be it. She will be turned."

Edward and Rosalie did not take very well to that. I listened quietly as they went on a tangent about how I couldn't do that. How I couldn't take away her choice.

"Okay, okay. She went a little too far. We'll just glamour her," Victoria muttered, nudging me in the side.

"That won't work," Alice sang as she pranced up the stairs.

Victoria and I groaned as Edward and Rose began to complain again. Almost immediately, I zoned them out. My mind went straight back to Bella's scent. Strawberry and vanilla. My favorite.

"I think you should hunt," Jasper said in a strained voice from across the room. His eyes were completely black like my own.

"Let's go, love. I'm parched as well," Victoria said kindly, pulling me out the door.

I felt like a psychopath. More of a psychopath than I already am. All I wanted was to sink my aching teeth into her neck to get the pain to go away. But then again, I want to get to know her. She isn't the little girl I met so little ago.

Time used to be meaningless to me. But I was beginning to realize that it flew whether I was having fun or not.

Humanity had never made me feel so uncomfortable before.

 **-o0o-**

I walked into school the next day with Victoria on my arm and fresh blood warming my stomach.

I had already noticed Bella's truck in the parking lot but I tried to at least act surprised when I smelled her scent. I silently noticed Victoria's heart pick up when she smelled it.

As a way of distracting myself, I stowed that information away for later. Maybe I was not the only one struggling with her scent.

I was the first to arrive to my seat in class. I needed to get as far away from Bella as possible for now while still taking in her lingering smell. I hated to leave Victoria but I was determined to get over this situation.

As the people began to file in, I lied my head down on the table to zone out their whispers. The hushed lewd comments and questions about my sexuality. I'd heard it all before, but now, it was making me angry.

My anger was interrupted by strawberries and vanilla bean mixed with anxiety and fear. I sat up almost inhumanly fast to see Bella standing awkwardly beside my table.

I was stunned for a moment. I held my breath and stared at Victoria's necklace as it hung around her neck like a medal. Snapping myself out of my daze, I snatched my backpack out of her seat and gestured for her to sit down jerkily.

"Sorry," she mumbled quietly. I watched her sit down stiffly, struggling to keep from covering my nose against her decadent odor.

"It's alright," I whispered. It took everything to keep from sounding hateful.

Her rigidness softened slightly at my validation.

The class quickly began but I didn't pay much attention. I watched discreetly as Bella took notes and doodled simultaneously. Her flicked over to me at random moments. I made sure to look away before I was caught.

When the teacher turned on a video, I took the chance to speak.

"You like to draw," I stated rather than asked.

Bella blinked in surprise and blushed. My lips pulled back involuntarily remembering her as a child. Her smile was much the same, though weathered by overwhelming teen emotions.

"I'm not very good."

My brows raised indignantly. Her frivolous doodles could be called art, though abstract.

"Whatever you say. It's better than most," I chuckled quietly. I paused for a moment, swallowing a mouthful of drool.

"How are you liking Forks?"

Bella cringed slightly and glanced out the window at the storm.

"I'm not a fan of the cold. Or rain for that matter. It's depressing," she muttered. Bella looked at me curiously. "What about you?"

"Well, Victoria and I weren't either but you get used to it."

Bella looked at me head on then, her eyes slightly wider. I cursed my thirst clouded brain. Recognition sparkled in her eyes for only a moment before she shook her head almost imperceptibly. I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding when the bell rang.

"Don't forget to read pages 362 to 378 tonight. We will be going over it tomorrow," Mr. Smith called as the students rushed out.

I gathered my things slowly, not wanting to leave Bella's scent. Though I felt myself longing to drain her I also wanted to keep talking to her. I wanted to know more.

We walked out together in silence. It was not awkward but full of something unknown. We were both curious about one another. Me, for very different and contradictory reasons.

"It was nice talking to you. If you need anything, just ask. I remember what it was like being the new kid," I said casually, pushing back my homicidal thoughts as her heart pounded.

"Thanks, um, Ashtan, right? I feel like I know you from somewhere," she sputtered in embarrassment. Just as my control began to slip I could sense Victoria coming.

"See you around, Bella."

I walked away swiftly, holding my breath as Victoria wrapped her arm around my waist. She looked at me with wide eyes.

"How did you manage to do that? You're either going insane or you're already batshit crazy," she whispered furiously.

"I'm batshit crazy."

I pulled her into the nearest bathroom frantically, scaring the humans. In seconds I had her against the wall with our lips smashed together. My hands roamed her body as if it was the first time she had allowed me the pleasure of touching her flawless porcelain skin.

Victoria pulled away reluctantly, breathing heavy.

"Where did this come from? Like...what the fuck?"

I nipped at her neck relentlessly. My entire body screamed to touch and be touched by my mate. I had whiplash, it hit me so fast.

"You know I get horny when I'm horny," I rasped.

Victoria pulled away forcefully and I growled in frustration. The click of the door locking caught me by surprise. She leaned against it and pulled my Led Zeppelin shirt over her head in one swift movement.

"I'm liking Bella even more," she husked before prowling towards me.

I had so much on my mind. I wondered what had changed in Bella since I last saw her in Phoenix. Why she was suddenly so demure and introverted. Why her mind was closed off to Edward. I wondered how I would ever be able to be around her for extended periods of time to understand.

However, my Victoria soon wiped any thought that did not include her away. This crisis could wait.

 **-o0o-**

Over the next few weeks, Bella and I began to speak more. If she remembered me she didn't say anything. For which I was grateful.

It took a while for her to get over her reserved nature. Just the same as it took a while for me to be able to be around her without my mouth watering uncontrollably. I was beginning to see her as more than a tasty morsel with each conversation.

When we were assigned for a group project I almost jumped out of my skin. Not because of the fact that I hated schoolwork, that was a given.

It was for the simple fact that Edward and Rosalie would rip my throat out if I allowed her to come to our home. Much less me going to her house alone.

Instead, I chose to invite Victoria.

"What!? Why me? Why not Alice? Alice says they're going to best friends or some shit," she ranted comically. I laughed at her distressed she was.

We were already in front of Bella's house when I told her what was going on.

"Because you're my mate and guess what? She still has your necklace. That means something. Maybe you two could be friends too" I reasoned.

Victoria looked at me like I was totally insane. I blinked in confusion.

"I'm honored but that doesn't reassure me. You've forgotten that she can't know what we are. If she remembers me as a twenty year old when she was child and I'm suddenly in high school, that is not good!"

"Well, I'm pretty sure she remembers me as an asshole basketball player with an authority complex. So fuck the rules," I snarked.

I knocked on her door firmly. In seconds it was opened, reavealing a frazzled Bella. She blushed when she saw that Victoria was with me. For some reason she was very cautious of her. Which I found laughable.

We followed her up to her room. Me, grasping my sanity by a thread. The entire house was filled with her scent. The only solace I found was Victoria and the contrasting smell of Charlie who seemed to have been gone for a while.

I looked around her room in surprise. It was oddly dark and filled with posters of an assortment of 90s grunge bands. I should have expected it with her slight emo disposition.

Victoria plopped down on her computer chair while I sat cross legged on her bed like we had been in her room before. Bella didn't know what the hell to do.

"Oh, my bad. Bella, this is Victoria, my m-girlfriend. Victoria, this is Bella Swan. My biology partner," I said, trying to get the tension out of the air.

"It's nice to meet you, Bella," Victoria said with an undertone of sarcasm. I glared at her discretely.

Bella muttered a response, unable to meet her eyes. It made me feel bad. Victoria was no exception. She frowned at her rude behavior.

We got to work in silence. I could tell that Bella was uncomfortable with Victoria's presence. We usually spoke alone and she seemed to get comfortable with my presence.

However, we were becoming good friends very fast. That would all go to waste if she and my mate didn't get along.

I gave Victoria a pointed look when Bella wasn't looking. If they were going to be friends she would have to stop being so standoffish.

"So, uh, why'd you move here? I mean it's a shit hole."

I chuckled as Bella turned red at her foul language. She would have to get used to it soon enough.

"Well, my mom got remarried and I thought I would give them some privacy. Let them be kids again, you know," Bella explained.

"You're better than me. I wouldn't have cared as long as they soundproofed their room," Victoria laughed, wrinkling her nose.

Bella laughed and shook her head.

"Honestly, I needed to get away. I love my mom and Phil is a nice guy, but sometimes I felt like I was taking care of her."

"Are you happier here at least," Victoria asked. I smiled as her facade of stoicism fell away.

"So far. Ch- dad is rarely here but when he is he's nice. It's alright, I guess."

I frowned as a wave of sadness rolled over her. There was something she was hiding. It made me uncomfortable. Victoria and I shared a concerned glance.

"Well, you've just made yourself some fabulous gay friends. Good luck getting rid of us sweety," Victoria said dramatically. We laughed heartily as Bella blushed.

Bella and I finished our project with much less heaviness in the air. Seeing Victoria and Bella getting along warmed my heart. She was beginning to see what I saw in Bella. That kind little girl lost in Volterra, but now lost in Forks.

She walked us to our truck with a smile but it quickly turned into apprehension. I raised my eyebrows at her in question.

"I wasn't sure if you were who I thought you were but I'm sure now. It took me a while to remember your face. What happened if you don't mind me asking," she said, embarrassed.

Victoria went rigid behind me but I simply smiled, trying to keep from showing my nervousness. Lies ran through my head faster than the speed of light.

"My parents were tired of me sneaking out so they sent me to another foster family. It wasn't that big of a deal. We never really had a familial connection but I do miss them," I lied smoothly, putting in enough emotion to seem genuine. Victoria gently rubbed my back for effect.

Bella touched my arm to my console me. She looked mortified. As if she'd crossed some invisible line.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't know they were you're foster parents. I'm sorry."

"It's alright, Bella you didn't know," I assured her.

Bella relaxed and flicked he eyes toward Victoria, her hand reaching toward her necklace. I had a bad feeling suddenly.

"We're going shopping with Alice and Rosalie next saturday. You should come with us," Victoria said, casually distracting her with an stressful situation. I wanted to kiss her then.

Bella contemplated the offer with an anxious expression before she facepalmed.

"I'm supposed to be going to a bonfire with Jacob. He actually mentioned that he knew you. Jacob Black?"

I fought the urge to groan. Every time I thought my situation couldn't get any worse, it did. I knew what would be going down at the bonfire. Hell, I was supposed to be there to give a fucking speech. Now that's off the table.

"Yeah, I know him. He's like the annoying little brother that I didn't ask for and don't want," I grumbled. Victoria chuckled into her hand.

"You guys should come with me. I like Jacob as a friend but I think he has a crush on me. I don't want it to be awkward," Bella said, cringing.

Annoyance flared inside me but I couldn't say yes. If I showed up they would greet me in a manner that was not normal. It would raise more questions.

"I'm sorry, I can't. You should still go though. Maybe bring your other friends? The people down at La Push are good company."

Bella nodded slowly, seemingly more dissatisfied with me refusal. We said our goodbyes but not before Victoria and I got her number. I couldn't let her go to La Push without at least having a way to contact her. After what happened with Sam and Emily, I realized that anything can happen.

On our way home, Victoria kept staring at me with this proud look on her face.

"What? Why are you staring at me," I laughed, embarrassed.

"How did you do that? I didn't see you struggle the whole time we were in her room. You were surrounded by her scent and stayed calm," Victoria said in awe.

I blinked as the pain in my throat suddenly came back to the forefront of my mind.

"I guess I was too distracted to see her as prey," I said in disbelief.

Victoria cheered raucously. She kissed me wildly with no regard for the fact that I was driving. I didn't care. I was happy. I'd found the foundation for gaining complete self control. And I had planted a seed of friendship between my mate and the person that was soon becoming my favorite human.

What in the world could go wrong?


	29. Well Damn

**-o0o-**

More months went by without any problems. I didn't know whether to be happy about this, or to be wary. Victoria wasn't worried at all anymore, so I took it upon myself to follow her lead.

Bella met the family without any problems. I don't count Rosalie and Edward being dickheads. They're like that twenty-four seven. Bella didn't seem to notice. I like to think that she knew we would stick up for her.

Everything was just amazing. That is, until Tanya called.

 _"Hey, Ash. Jane keeps talking about wanting to visit you. Something about her duty as your guard? I don't know. I'm just giving you a heads up that we're coming down for a week."_

My entire body flushed and I looked over to Victoria. She was shaking her heading furiously.

"I don't think that would be a good id-"

 _"We've already talked to Carlisle. You and Victoria can fuck like bunnies when we leave. We're almost there," Kate chimed in, before the phone clicked._

"Wait! Goddamnit."

I nearly threw my phone phone across the room but Victoria snatched it out of my hand just in time. I clutched my head in my hands and tried to calm down.

"They're gonna smell Bella everywhere. What are we gonna say? Oh, Carlisle let us bring a human home for a little threesome?"

"I don't know. Maybe we should just be honest. You're their queen. What are they gonna do? Tell on you," Victoria said, trying to remain positive. I rolled my eyes at her.

"I don't know what's going to happen. I just don't want to hear their mouths. But what I do know is, we're not telling them about Bella. We're gonna go clean everything. If they ask, the smell is from a messy meal we shared," I said, trying to find a solution.

"Being human was fun while it lasted."

 **-o0o-**

The Denali Coven arrived faster than expected. They had ran here all the way from Alaska, which wasn't a surprise. Still, I thought I had more time to bleach the house down.

"Hey, cousins! Whoa...it reeks in here," Kate said, covering her nose. I grinned discreetly.

"Oh, we cleaned up the house for you guys. Ash and V can be quite messy," Alice chirped.

My nervousness dissipated when I saw Jane and Irina walking towards me. They were holding hands and smiling like fools. I was taken aback. I never imagined I would see that look on her face.

"Happiness suits you," Victoria chuckled, speaking my thoughts. If Jane could blush she would have.

"It took a while to get her out of her brooding but it was worth it," Irina said softly. The way she looked at Jane caused me to reach for my own mate.

"Enough about me. Is there any news from Volterra? Are there any new threats," Jane asked, getting back to business. I rolled my eyes at her.

"Everything is fine Jane. If you never want to go back to Volterra, you don't have to. I don't care what my brothers say. Hell, you need to live your life," I said adamantly.

Jane and Irina smiled brightly and thanked me profusely. I waved off their pleasantries but still felt warm inside. I never thought I would see Jane with a mate of her very own.

"Mmmm... What is that smell?"

All eyes landed on Tanya as a deep moan rumbled in her chest. My entire mood fell instantly and Victoria looked at me with concern. Before I could say anything..

"Goddess, it's so good. Have you two been bringing meals home? Carlisle, are you going soft," Kate teased.

As Carlisle deflected, I shot a piercing glance at Jasper and Alice. They looked unfazed by whatever was going on, but I could tell that they knew something. Tanya and Kate were reacting like controlled newborns. None of the others acted this way. Only me.

Two possessive growls rumbled from theirs chests out of nowhere and I knew. How could I not know? I remember smelling Victoria. I was possessive and ready to take her away from every eye around us. But, it was not thirst. It was desire.

"What the hell is going on," Emmett said, looking totally confused. Rosalie nodded along, looking freaked out.

" **Mate** ," they growled in unison. I sighed heavily and facepalmed.

"Of course. Of course."

 **-o0o-**

"You've been allowing a human into a coven of vampires? A human that happens to be our mate? What the hell were you thinking," Tanya snarled in outrage.

I sighed heavily and Victoria squeezed my hand to comfort me.

"Bella is our friend. She's...she's different from other humans. V and I met her when she was a little girl. We saved her and her mother from being slaughtered. We definitely wouldn't allow any harm to her now," I explained.

Tanya and Kate still didn't look satisfied. I could understand that. If I was in their situation, I would feel the say exact way. Actually, nobody would be alive.

"Wait. Is nobody gonna ask how two vampires can mate to one human," Jules asked, one eyebrow raised in question. Tanya and Kate looked just confused.

"We thought it was just us. I..does this mean we aren't true mates," Kate asked, unusually somber. Tanya squeezed her hand gently.

"No, no. Never question your bond. You're true mates without a doubt. Bella is also your true mate. If she wasn't, you would not have reacted so strongly after only smelling her. I've seen this many times, although it is rare. You are both lucky," I explained as reassuringly as possible. They sighed in relief.

I found myself feeling a bit melancholy. I imagined so many possibilities for Bella. I did imagine this but not with Tanya and Kate. A twinge of jealousy wiggled it's way into my mind.

"So who's taking us to our mate? Or do we have to sniff her out," Kate quipped, standing up.

In milliseconds I was in front them growling. Tanya and Kate growled right back and crouched, ready to fight for their mate. In my possessive haze, I could see their confusion. Victoria and Rosalie wrapped their arms around me to calm me down.

"What the fuck is her problem? We _will_ see our mateTanya snarled. I bared my teeth at her.

"Ashtan, sister, we should tell them the full situation. There is no reason for this to get violent," Carlisle reasoned. His tone caught my ear.

I was deep in my instinct but I knew I needed to listen to him. Now, I had no right to Bella. Whatever delusions I had conjured up in the back of my mind we're just that. Delusions. My shoulders fell and I relaxed from my crouch.

"What have you guys not told us? What the fuck is going on," Kate questioned us angrily. I suddenly felt ashamed of myself.

"Bella isn't just a normal human...she's very different," I began. Tanya and Kate narrowed their eyes at me. I sighed as they tensed.

"For one, she's a shield. Edward can't read her mind. I can either. It's amazing. For a human to be able to blo-"

"Get on with it," Tanya growled angrily. I raised my hands in surrender and blanched as Victoria moved in front of me protectively.

I noticed with some irony that the Cullens had moved in between us strategically.

"What you need to know is that...Bella is my singer...," I said cautiously.

As if on cue, everything became slow motion. I watched the anger fall off their faces to be replaced with pure, unadulterated rage and protective instinct. My eyes widen as they began to lunge.

My last thought as their bodies careened towards me was...

 _"Damn, I really like this shirt."_


End file.
